Rumpole of the Bailey

Rumpole defends a vicar accused of shoplifting three shirts, although he refuses to testify in his own behalf.

One instance of marital infidelity is at the root of Rumpole's case involving a liquor store robbery, while another affair threatens the stability of his chambers.

Rumpole goes on "circus," or rather on circuit, in the north, where an actor and theater manager has been shot with a stage prop. The case seems clear-cut, but everything depends on how one reads the script.

Captain Rex Parkin is charged with an offense under the Race Relations Act and finds to his horror that Rumpole has taken under his wing a pupil barrister from the Punjab.

What appears to be an uncontrollable outbreak of bed-hopping is about to ruin the chances of Guthrie Featherstone, QC, MP, becoming a judge, as well as torpedo Rumpole's client's career as a teacher.

Both Rumpole and his current client, Percy Timson, one of the patriarchs of a criminal clan, are under pressure by their families to retire.

After a string of losing cases, Rumpole has retired and moved to Florida, where he and his wife are staying with their son and daughter-in-law. But the endless sun and swimming pools are driving Rumpole mad, and when his old chambers sends him a letter questioning some bloodstain evidence, he hurries back to London to work on the case.