CHAMPERTY

champerty

(noun) an unethical agreement between an attorney and client that the attorney would sue and pay the costs of the client’s suit in return for a portion of the damages awarded; “soliciting personal injury cases may constitute champerty”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

champerty (countable and uncountable, plural champerties)

(legal) The investing of money into an individual's lawsuit.

Source: Wiktionary

Cham"per*ty, n. Etym: [F. champart field rent, L. campipars; champ (L. campus) field + part (L. pars) share.]

1. Partnership in power; equal share of authority. [Obs.] Beauté ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardyness, Ne may with Venus holde champartye. Chaucer.

2. (Law)

Definition: The prosecution or defense of a suit, whether by furnishing money or personal services, by one who has no legitimate concern therein, in consideration of an agreement that he shall receive, in the event of success, a share of the matter in suit; maintenance with the addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit. See Maintenance.

Note: By many authorities champerty is defined as an agreement of this nature. From early times the offence of champerty has been forbidden and punishable.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition