The curtains came down on the life of Judge Frank Caprio on Wednesday (August 22, 2025), bringing to an end an illustrious career built on compassion and kindness in the courtroom. According to a statement from his family, the Rhode Island judge died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 88.
In a career spanning more than 40 years as a municipal judge in Providence, Rhode Island, Caprio became a social media star with a massive following, thanks largely to his appearances in courtroom videos under the banner Caught in Providence. To those who frequent social media, Judge Caprio was a familiar and beloved face.
Judge Caprio personified compassion on the bench, making empathy the cornerstone of his judicial pronouncements. In his own words: “My courtroom is where people and cases are met with kindness and compassion.” Caught in Providence, a reality TV show on the “Law and Crime” network, featured real proceedings of minor infractions such as traffic violations. Clips from the program garnered millions of views online, earning him the title “Nicest Judge in the World.”
It all began in 1988, when Judge Caprio’s brother Joseph started producing the show, initially broadcast on public-access TV in Providence. It gained national attention in 2017, when clips began circulating widely on social media. By the fall of 2018, a syndicated version was launched, catapulting him to stardom as fresh episodes reached audiences across the United States. At its peak, the program was carried by nearly 200 TV stations. Production of new episodes continued until Caprio’s retirement in 2023.
The show’s popularity stemmed from its spontaneity and authenticity, with no contradiction between Judge Caprio’s “reel” and real life. His exchanges with defendants were often humorous, always heartwarming, and deeply humane. He showed special kindness to those struggling to make ends meet. Hugging litigants, offering words of encouragement, and easing burdens with dismissals or reduced fines, he embodied empathy in action. For those unable to pay even reduced fines, he arranged for payments through donations from fans worldwide.
Some of his most popular videos involved children invited to the bench to help pass judgment on their parents. Others became classics: one where he listens with visible concern to a grieving mother whose son had been killed before dismissing her fines; another where he absolves a 96-year-old speeding driver after learning he was taking his son for cancer treatment; and yet another where he waived a red-light violation for a bartender earning only $3.84 per hour, urging viewers to reflect on the struggles of low-wage workers.
Judge Caprio also used his fame to highlight broader issues—unequal access to justice, health care challenges, unjust evictions, veterans’ benefits, and the plight of low-income Americans facing the system without legal help.
Born in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents of modest means, Caprio shined shoes, delivered newspapers, and worked on a milk truck as a child to help his family. These early struggles shaped his empathetic worldview and enduring faith in human goodness. He graduated from Providence College in 1958, worked as a public school teacher, and studied law at Suffolk University in Boston at night before earning his law degree. He went on to serve nearly four decades on the Providence Municipal Court before retiring in 2023.
In a meaningful tribute, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee ordered U.S. and Rhode Island flags at state buildings to be flown at half-staff until Caprio’s interment. “He was more than a jurist – he was a symbol of empathy on the bench, showing us what is possible when justice is tempered with humanity,” the governor said.
Judging by the outpouring of tributes across social media, it is beyond doubt that Judge Frank Caprio touched millions of lives. His was a life well lived—one that blended law with kindness, leaving behind a legacy worthy of emulation.
