Fool for a Client
Fool for a Client
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Comic Story information
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Fool for a Client is a Bart Simpson story first printed in Bart Simpson #88.
Synopsis
- "Bart Simpson goes on mock trial and it's up to his mock lawyer, Ralph Wiggum, to prove his innocence! Will justice be served?"
Plot
Bart is on trial for starting the fire alarm before taking a test. He has a choice of suspension, an automatic F or a month's work with Groundskeeper Willie. Ralph is Bart's defender and he explains to Principal Skinner that Bart is innocent. Barts want to switch defenders, but no one wants to be his new defender and he proposes to defend himself. Willie is the first witness, and says that when he examined the alarm, he saw several fingerprints around the alarm. Martin is the prosecutor, and claims that the fingerprints belong to Bart. Bart gets help from Ralph and asks him to play Wiggle Puppy, which results in Ralph biting Willie so he can tell the truth. Willie gives up and says it is impossible to say whose fingerprint it is. Martin calls a series of character witnesses to speak of Bart's lack of integrity. The first is Mrs. Krabappel, who says she does not know if Bart would try to avoid a trial in the same waythat she does not know if the principal can force teachers to buy their own chalk. Milhouse says that Bart can do anything he sets his mind to, including pulling the fire alarm and getting away with it. Lisa says that she never saw Bart study and does not think he was going to do the test. Sherri and Terri say they saw Bart near the alarm just before it started and Bart's defense is that he was talking to Nelson. Nelson confirms that Bart was talking to him, and he asked him if he knew the answers to the test. Bart says that there is no evidence that he set off the alarm. As the closing argument, Martin says that Bart has been justified but Ralph says that Bart is innocent because he started the alarm. Bart lets Ralph testify, and Skinner is surprised but Martin points out that he is entitled to it. Skinner asks Martin if he wants to drop the charges and get an A on the next test instead of an A+. Martin refuses to accept it. Ralph says that he was prepared for show-and-tell but had nothing to show, but he saw a butterfly in the schoolyard, and followed it into the school. Ralph says that he tried to catch it but happened to set off the alarm. The jury decides that Bart is not guilty. Skinner points out that Bart still has not done the test and will do so now. The alarm goes off again and it turns out that there is a real fire and the school is evacuated. Bart thanks Ralph for help. Ralph walks away and starts chasing a butterfly again, and says that he is leaving the law. Bart says that he's leaving a career as the world's best lawyer.
Reprints
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