Frank Caprio, the retired municipal judge from Providence, Rhode Island, who became a viral sensation for his compassion in the courtroom and as the host of Caught in Providence, has died at the age of 88. His family announced on his official social media accounts on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) that he “passed away peacefully” after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Caprio’s unique blend of empathy and humor made him an unlikely global celebrity. His televised courtroom and bite-sized online clips featured him listening patiently, cracking jokes, and often dismissing minor infractions with a touch of humanity. These moments, which ranged from forgiving parking tickets to consoling grieving parents, earned him more than a billion views across social media platforms.
Unlike many of the combative or stern judges portrayed on television, Frank Caprio developed a reputation as “America’s kindest judge.” In Caught in Providence, which aired locally for years before gaining national exposure on ABC and later finding a huge audience on YouTube and Facebook, Caprio would often call children to the bench to “help” decide cases, turning courtroom appearances into moments of levity.
“I hope that people will take away that the institutions of government can function very well by exercising kindness, fairness, and compassion,” Caprio once said in 2017. “We live in a very contentious society. I would hope that people will see that we can dispense justice without being oppressive.”
Born Francesco Caprio in 1936 in Providence’s Federal Hill neighborhood, he was the second of three sons in an Italian American family. His father was a milkman and his mother a homemaker. Caprio worked his way through school, graduating from Providence College and later earning his law degree from Suffolk University Law School. He was first appointed to the Providence Municipal Court in 1985 and went on to serve nearly four decades on the bench before retiring in 2023.
His philosophy on justice was deeply rooted in his upbringing. “The phrase, ‘With liberty and justice for all’ represents the idea that justice should be accessible to everyone. However it is not,” he once said in a widely shared video. “Almost 90% of low-income Americans are forced to battle civil issues like health care, unjust evictions, veterans benefits and, yes, even traffic violations, alone.”
In recent years, Frank Caprio also used his platform to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer after revealing his diagnosis in late 2023. He shared updates on his treatment journey with remarkable openness, often urging people to value compassion in both public service and personal life. Just last week, he posted a short video asking his supporters to keep him in their prayers after a hospital setback.
Tributes poured in from across Rhode Island and beyond. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee praised Caprio as “a symbol of empathy on the bench, showing us what is possible when justice is tempered with humanity.” U.S. Senator Jack Reed called him “a Rhode Island treasure” who demonstrated that “kindness is not weakness, but strength.”
His family remembered him as “a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend,” adding: “Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond.”
Even those outside the legal world were quick to share memories. Robert Leonard, a restaurateur who co-owned a business with Caprio, described him as “all around wonderful” and said, “There is nothing he wouldn’t do for you if he could do it.”
Caprio is survived by his wife, Joyce, with whom he shared more than six decades of marriage, along with their five children and many grandchildren. His brother, Joseph A. Caprio, served as Rhode Island’s General Treasurer.
While Caught in Providence has ended, its clips continue to circulate online, immortalizing a judge who reminded millions that justice and kindness can coexist.
