illegal bargain

[Dorothea]

name for an illegal bargain between a party to litigation and an outsider whereby the latter agrees to pay for the action in return for a share of the proceeds

[Peter Pedant]

mainenance

I didnt think it was illegal so much as if you are maintaining an action you can get dinged for the whole of the costs.

This has happened in a libel case - Lord so and so - who should have known better and whose name escapes me ?Goodman

[THECORBYLOON]

The answer is CHAMPERTY.

[tubeway]

It is Champerty and is not always illegal - but is usually uneyhical