This is particularly relevant in cases of champerty and maintenance. The defendants sought a stay of the proceedings on the ground of champerty. Five of the bills expanded the state's definitions of barratry, champerty, and maintenance. In this sense, it was not much different from champerty and maintenance. In 2008, 21 people were arrested for champerty, maintenance and conspiracy. However, champerty and maintenance remain torts in some Canadian jurisdictions. Beaumont, however, did not stop short at champerty. Champerty and maintenance carries a sentence of up to seven years in Hong Kong. Champerty is an aggravated form of maintenance. Maintenance and champerty are torts, not crimes, under New Zealand law. In Ontario, champertous agreements are invalid under the Champerty Act, RSO 1897, c. 327.