Alabama Code 34-3-24. Encouraging litigation; champerty – Generally
Terms Used In Alabama Code 34-3-24
- Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
Any attorney-at-law, either before or after action brought, who gives, offers, or promises to give a valuable consideration to another person as an inducement to placing in the hands of such attorney or in the hands of any partnership of attorneys, or in the hands of any other attorney, a demand of any kind for the purpose of bringing an action or making claim against another person, corporation or partnership, or who gives or offers or promises a valuable consideration to any person in consideration of such person having so placed in his hands as an attorney, or of any other attorney, partnership or firm of attorneys, a demand of any kind for the purpose of bringing an action or making claim against another; or who employs or offers to employ any person to search for or procure clients to be brought to such attorney or any other attorney, or partnership or firm of attorneys; or who employs or offers to employ a person to solicit, search for or procure business for himself as attorney or for any other attorney, firm or partnership of attorneys shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, shall be fined in a sum not exceeding $1,000 and also be removed and disbarred from practicing as an attorney-at-law in this state, and may be imprisoned in the county jail or sentenced to hard labor for the county for a term not exceeding six months, at the discretion of the court trying the case.