Opinion ID: 1791685
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: unrelated third-parties and champerty

Text: ¶ 21. Briefly, we address any potential concerns regarding the fact that our holding allows a wholly unrelated third party to purchase a chose in action at public auction. In the instant appeal, neither party raises the issue of champerty or concerns about unrelated parties intermeddling in suits. Miss.Code Ann. §§ 97-9-11 to -23 makes champerty a criminal offense. See also Sneed v. Ford Motor Co., 735 So.2d 306 (Miss.1999) (Generally, champerty is defined as bargain between a stranger and a party to a lawsuit by which the stranger pursues the party's claim in consideration of receiving part of any judgment proceeds.) ¶ 22. As it is not ripe, the parties aptly chose not to discuss this issue. This is based on the fact that no third party is presently involved. Further, it is very likely that no third parties will ever become involved in these matters. All three parties involved in the instant appeal have an interest in purchasing the chose and thus rendering moot concerns regarding champerty. [9] Accordingly, this Court makes no ruling regarding this issue. [10]