What is the "champerty" doctrine in civil law?

The champerty doctrine is fundamentally a legal principle aimed at maintaining the integrity of the judicial system by preventing third parties from becoming overly involved in litigation for their own profit. Under this doctrine, it is prohibited for individuals or organizations that have no direct interest in a legal dispute to finance that dispute with the expectation of receiving a portion of any financial recovery. This serves to restrict the practice of essentially "buying" a stake in lawsuits merely for profit, which could lead to frivolous or unjust litigation and influence the parties involved in ways that do not serve the interests of true justice.

By forbidding such arrangements, the champerty doctrine encourages parties to pursue their own legitimate claims without the interference of outside parties whose motivations may not align with the principles of fair legal representation and justice. This principle acts as a check on the potential abuse of legal processes, thus ensuring that litigation remains a means for authentic claims and disputes rather than a commercial venture.