champerty
An agreement between the party suing in a lawsuit (plaintiff) and another person, usually an attorney, who agrees to finance and carry the lawsuit in return for a percentage of the recovery (money won and paid).

chancellor
From the old English legal system, a chancellor is a judge who sits in what is called a chancery (equity) court with the power to order something be done (as distinguished from just paying damages).

chancery
A court that can order acts performed. Today chancery courts are merged with law courts in most states. See also: equity.

change of circumstances
The principal reason for a court modifying (amending) an existing order for the payment of alimony and/or child support.

character witness
A person who testifies in a trial on behalf of a person (usually a criminal defendant) as to that person's good ethical qualities and morality both by the personal knowledge of the witness and the person's reputation in the community.

charge
In a criminal case, the specific statement of what crime the party is accused (charged with) contained in the indictment or criminal complaint.

Charge-off Accounts
If your delinquent account is charged-off, the record will stay on your credit report for 7 years.