A Fine Day in Court

by Jane And Mark Lewis

Background
Rating
Characters
Staging
Script

Background

This sketch was written to illustrate God's forgiveness. God is our judge - yet, through Christ, he has paid our penalty. It was conceived as a children's sketch where the Narrator can read the words and the children who are acting the parts have no lines to learn.

Rating

Characters

Fred, a speeding driver
PC Ted, a copper
Judge Dread, a judge

Staging

The three characters act out/mime the story whilst the Narrator reads. Obviously the sketch could easily be adapted so the characters actually say their lines.

Script

Narrator: One day a man, called Fred, was driving his car along a motorway.
He was in a hurry and he was driving very fast. Not at 70 or even 75 but 80 miles per hour.
Suddenly he heard a noise and saw a light in his rear view mirror.
A policeman, PC Ted, pulled him over and got out of his car.
"Hello, hello, hello, what’s going on here then?", said PC Ted
"Hello officer", said Fred
"You were driving very fast", said PC Ted
"I'm in a hurry", said Fred
"That may be so", said PC Ted, "but you have broken the law."
"But I was only a little bit over the speed limit", said Fred.
"You seem to have a foot made of lead", said PC Ted, "so I'll have to give a you a fine and penalty points"
"This isn't fair, I'm in the red", said Fred, "and I don’t have any money to pay."
"That’s not my problem", said PC Ted, "you’ll have to speak to Judge Dread"
"Right", said Fred
So Fred and PC Ted went to Court to see Judge Dread.
Judge Dread said "Fred you have broken the law and you have a fine to pay"
"But", said Fred, "I can't pay, I've got no money"
Then PC Ted said, "Oh well if you can't pay you will have to go to jail!"
Fred said, "But then I won't be able to earn a crust of bread, my business will be dead and my kids won't get fed!"
PC Ted said, "Well those are the rules, if you commit a crime you have to pay for it"
Then Judge Dread said, "Well that's not strictly true, PC Ted. Fred has committed a crime and someone has to pay the fine otherwise he will go to jail."
Fred said, "I keep telling you I'm in the red."
"I hear what you've said Fred. But I can't ignore PC Ted", said Judge Dread, "This is tricky, I can't let you go until the fine is paid [pause] Just stay there a moment."
Judge Dread took the wig off his head, got up, paid the fine, and went back to his seat. [pause]
"Well Fred, it appears someone has paid your fine, you are free to go."
PC Ted said "That's highly irregular m'lud, you can't do that."
Judge Dread said, "PC Ted you heard what I said, as long as someone has paid the price of the fine, Fred can go home to his nice warm bed."