Ignorant Excuses

"Ignorant Excuses" is a courtroom drama illustrating the theme that ignorance of the law is not a valid defense. The judge firmly establishes that every person is accountable for knowing the law, regardless of their circumstances. A heated debate between the prosecutor and the defender ensues, questioning whether immigrants, children, or the uninformed should be held responsible. The play concludes with a chilling reminder of divine judgment, as a voice quotes Revelation 20:12, reinforcing the ultimate accountability of all before God's throne.

Run-Time

Approximately 10–15 minutes, depending on pacing and staging.

Cast

• Judge
• Bailiff
• Prosecutor
• Defender
• Crowd (as available)

Biblical Reference

• Revelation 20:12 – “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds."

Sample Script

(All except Judge are on stage.)

Bailiff:
All rise, Supreme Court is now in session, Judge Peters presiding.

(All stand while Judge walks in and sits down.)

Bailiff:
You may be seated.

Judge:
Prior to getting down to business, a matter of clarification. Those in my court yesterday will recall a heated discussion regarding admissibility of ignorance as basis for innocence. To avoid confusion, and the wasting of court’s time, I believe it prudent to restate the facts of law. The position of the court is indisputable: ignorance shall in no case be considered as a defence.

Prosecutor:
May it please the court, Your Honour. How is it then that every accused person in this court will give ignorance as last line of defence?

Judge:
The court may on occasion have empathy for those who have failed to acquaint themselves with points of law, yet all who appear shall be judged solely on circumstances surrounding the case. It shall be assumed that all have taken it upon themselves to apprise themselves of the law.

(Defender rises, signals to the judge.)

Defender:
Your Honour, a question of clarification, if I may.Judge:
Counsellor, your question, keep it brief.

Defender:
Thank you, Your Honour. We can not argue, under normal circumstances a citizen shall, as Your Honour alluded, take it upon himself to become aware of the law. However, as Your Honour is eminently aware, circumstances are not always “normal.” What of an immigrant coming to this land, without benefit of language or experience in matters of this jurisdiction? Surely Your Honour would not hold such a person to be guilty of an error in law when he had no preparedness to know the law?

Prosecutor:
Your Honour, if I may?

Judge:
Proceed, Ms. Prosecutor.

Prosecutor:
Counsellor, this hypothetical client for whom you have such overwhelming compassion. One would assume this person has, one way or another, managed to function within the framework of society since arriving here: obtaining employment, managing basic commerce as to the buying and selling of goods and services. Is that not correct?

Defender:
Well, yes, basic commerce perhaps; not advanced points of law, however.

Prosecutor:
This being the case, how can this court hold that this person somehow lacked skills to ascertain right from wrong?

Defender:
This is an assumption, not necessarily based on fact, Your Honour.

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