criminal maintenance

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Word: Criminal Maintenance

Definition:Criminal maintenance refers to the act of interfering in a legal case by someone who is not involved in that case. This interference usually helps one party against another, which can cause problems in the legal system. It can involve providing money or assistance to continue a legal action that might not be fair or necessary. Unlike a similar term called champerty, criminal maintenance doesn't have to involve making a profit for the person helping.

Usage Instructions:

• Context: Use "criminal maintenance" when discussing legal matters, particularly in situations where someone is improperly influencing a case.
• Formality: This term is formal and is mostly used in legal contexts.

Example:

• "The judge dismissed the case because it was clear that the plaintiff was a victim of criminal maintenance, as a third party had been funding the legal action without any legitimate interest."

Advanced Usage:

• Legal Discussions: In legal discussions, you might encounter "criminal maintenance" when talking about the integrity of the judicial process.
• Case Studies: Lawyers may analyze cases of criminal maintenance to argue for or against the validity of a lawsuit.

Word Variants:

• The term itself does not have direct variants, but related legal terms include:
  • Champerty: Involves sharing in the profits of a lawsuit in exchange for funding it.
  • Interference: General term for unlawfully meddling in someone else's affairs.

Different Meanings:

• While "criminal maintenance" primarily refers to legal interference, "maintenance" in other contexts can mean the act of keeping something in good condition (like maintaining a car or building).

Synonyms:

• Interference
• Legal meddling
• Unlawful support

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no direct idioms or phrasal verbs that use "criminal maintenance," but you might hear phrases like:
  • "To meddle in someone's affairs" – which means to interfere in someone else's business.
  • "Throwing money at a problem" – which can relate to someone funding a case unnecessarily.

Summary:

Criminal maintenance is a legal term that describes the improper interference in a legal action by someone who is not a party to that action. It aims to help one side unfairly, impacting the justice system.

Academic

Noun

1. the unauthorized interference in a legal action by a person having no interest in it (as by helping one party with money or otherwise to continue the action) so as to obstruct justice or promote unnecessary litigation or unsettle the peace of the community
   • unlike champerty, criminal maintenance does not necessarily involve personal profit

Synonyms

• maintenance