Astortsandascrimes,champertyandmaintenancewereabolishedbystatuteinEnglandandWalesin1967.Theywereconsideredtobeobsoleteandtheproductofabygoneage,whenabusesofthecourtsystemaspractisedbyrichandpowerfulnoblemenrequiredarobustlegalresponse.Amodern,sophisticated,andindependentjudiciaryrendereditunnecessaryeithertopunishortocompensateforchampertyormaintenanceanylonger.However,post-1967,theirimpactwasretainedviaa’reservationprovision’,whichensuresthatanycontracttaintedbychampertyormaintenance’istobetreatedascontrarytopublicpolicyorotherwiseillegal.’Fastforwardfivedecadestothepresentday,andwhilstmaintenancehasarguablyreacheditsuse-bydateinEnglishlaw,thesamecannotbesaidofitsmoreaggressivecousin.Champerty,asadoctrine,retainsconsiderablemodernimpactinthisjurisdiction,stalkingthemodernfundingandcivilprocedurelandscape.Itcontinuestohavegreatestimpactintwoareas:thefundingoflitigation,andtheassignmentsofcausesofaction.TheModernDoctrinesofChampertyandMaintenancelookscomparativelyatjurisdictions’attitudestowardschampertyandmaintenance,togetherwithananalysisoflawreformstudiesinthearea,bothinEnglandandelsewhere.
