champerty

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cham=per=ty

CIDE DICTIONARY

champerty, n. [F. champart field rent, L. campipars; champ (L. campus) field + part (L. pars) share.].

•  Partnership in power; equal share of authority.  [1913 Webster]

  "Beauté ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardyness,
  Ne may with Venus holde champartye."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  " By many authorities champerty is defined as an agreement of this nature. From early times the offence of champerty has been forbidden and punishable."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

champerty, n. (pl. -ies) Law an illegal agreement in which a person not naturally interested in a lawsuit finances it with a view to sharing the disputed property.

Derivative

champertous adj.

Etymology

ME f. AF champartie f. OF champart feudal lord's share of produce, f. L campus field + pars part