Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: CHAMPERTOUS
Definition: Champertous means a contract where someone helps another person to sue someone else in exchange for a share of the money or property that is won. This type of contract is not allowed in many countries because it can be unfair or unethical. In some places, lawyers are allowed to get paid a percentage of the money won in a lawsuit, but only if they do not take any money if the case is lost.
Definition: Champertous (cham-puh r-tuhs) is an adjective that describes something related to or characterized by champerty, which is an illegal agreement between a person without an interest in a lawsuit and a party to the lawsuit.
Example: A champertous contract is one where a third party agrees to finance a lawsuit in exchange for a share of the settlement or judgment.
For instance, if a person without any interest in a lawsuit offers to pay for the legal fees of the plaintiff in exchange for a percentage of the settlement or judgment, it is considered a champertous agreement.
Champerty is illegal in many countries, including England, because it can lead to frivolous lawsuits and unethical behavior by lawyers.