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Webster 1913 Edition

Champerty

Cham′per-ty

,
Noun.
[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)
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
.
☞ By many authorities champerty is defined as an agreement of this nature. From early times the offence of champerty has been forbidden and punishable.

Webster 1828 Edition

Champerty

CHAMPERTY

,
Noun.
A species of maintenance, being a bargain with a plaintiff or defendant, to divide the land or other matter in suit, between them, if they prevail; whereupon the champertor is to carry on the partys suit at his own expense. The purchase of a suit, or of the right of suing.

Definition 2024

champerty

champerty

English

Noun

champerty ‎(plural champerties)

  1. (law) investing money into an individual’s law suit.

Related terms

See also

References

  1. ↑ “champerty” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Etymology

From Middle English champartie, from Middle French champart ‎(“field rent – portion of produce of field paid to feudal lord”), probably from Latin campī ‎(“fields”) pars ‎(“part”),[1] with first term in turn from Proto-Indo-European *kamp- ‎(“to bend; crooked”). Compare modern English campus and French champ ‎(“field”).

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