Rumpole of the Bailey (book series) Rumpole of the Bailey (book series) Rumpole of the Bailey is a series of book created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer based on the television series "Rumpole of the Bailey". Mortimer adapted his television scripts into a series of short stories and novels starting in 1978. A series of anthologies and omnibus editions were also released. There have been six anthologies and collections that have presented previously published Rumpole stories. Three volumes of an "Omnibus" series that each gathered together three previously issued sets of stories into a single book. Two books that each presented
Rumpole of the Bailey trailing down his waistcoat and faded barrister's wig, "bought second hand from a former Chief Justice of Tonga" (or the Windward Islands: Rumpole is occasionally an unreliable narrator). Despite his affection for the criminal classes, Rumpole's character is marked by a firm set of ethics. He is a staunch believer in the presumption of innocence, the "Golden Thread of British Justice". He often reinforces this by proclaiming that it is better for 10 guilty men to go free than for one innocent to be convicted (basically Blackstone's formulation). Accordingly, Rumpole's credo is "I never plead guilty", although he has qualified