Judge Frank Caprio’s acts of kindness for down-and-out defendants made him a star and one of the most beloved justices in the country.

Now, as the community mourns his tragic death aged 88, some of his most iconic moments of grace and compassion for the people who entered his courtroom have resurfaced.

Caprio had fought a ‘long and courageous battle’ with pancreatic cancer, his family said in a statement confirming his death on Wednesday.

‘His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him… 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.’

His family hope that ‘his legacy lives on in the countless acts of kindness he inspired’, encouraging the public to ‘bring a little more compassion into the world – just as he did every day.’

In one particularly moving moment of warmth, Caprio slashed a struggling single mom’s fines from $350 to $125, prompting her to ask: ‘Can I give you a hug?’

Caprio smiled and told the woman to ‘come on up here’, leading the pair to enjoy a quick hug by the bench as she wiped away tears.

In one particularly moving moment of warmth, Caprio slashed a struggling single mom’s fines from $350 to $125, prompting her to ask: ‘Can I give you a hug?’

Frank Caprio, a renowned judge turned internet sensation, has died at the age of 88

The woman had explained that in some of her speeding fines, she was escaping a domestic violence situation and being chased by her abuser with her daughter in the car.

Another clip featured a 96-year-old father who rarely drove, but had received a ticket during the course of taking his handucapped son to receive bloodwork for his cancer treatment.

‘I take him for bloodwork every two weeks, because he’s got cancer,’ the man explained.

Caprio listened intently and said: ‘You’re a good man. You really are a good man. You really are what America is all about.

‘Here you are in your 90s, taking care of your family,’ Caprio added, as the man fought back tears.

Time and time again, defendants left Caprio’s courtroom singing his praises, sharing their own unique stories of his generosity.

In a 2017 interview with Daily Mail, he reflected on the responsibility of holding power as a judge, saying: ‘I’m always mindful of the fact that the power of the sovereign, as opposed to the power of the individual, is so disproportionate.

Judge Frank Caprio’s acts of kindness for down-and-out defendants made him a star and one of the most beloved justices in the country

‘Shame on me if I represent the sovereign and I give someone something they don’t deserve.

‘I take it a step further – if I think there are certain circumstances in an individual’s life, or it’s a close call, I give them the benefit of the doubt.

‘I don’t subscribe to the theory that because you were charged, you must be guilty.’

Caprio’s courtroom show Caught in Providence catapulted him to global stardom and earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2021.

He dealt primarily with low level crime – parking tickets and speeding offenses – but would work hard to get to know defendants who found themselves in his courtroom, and led with compassion rather than a strict interpretation of the law.

In one instance, grieving mother Andrea Rogers, appeared before Caprio with an accumulation of parking fines. She wept as she explained her struggle to keep her life together after her son was murdered.

‘I’m going to take into consideration the horrific story you just told us, relative to your son. I don’t think anyone in their lifetime would ever want to experience that,’  Caprio said, revealing he would dismiss all penalties. ‘With our best wishes and hope that things turnaround for you. Good luck to you.’

Now, as the community mourns his tragic death aged 88, some of his most iconic moments of grace and compassion for the people who entered his courtroom have resurfaced

Darrell Kroll, who faced Caprio alongside his eight-year-old son after getting a parking ticket while he delivered a pizza, said: ‘I think Judge Caprio is much more than fair – he listens.

‘I don’t want to say he’s lenient, that’s not the word I want to use. He’s compassionate.’

Caprio was particularly sensitive about how he handled cases when defendants brought their children into his courtroom.

He went out of his way to include the children and inspire them, hoping that he could serve as an inspiration to disadvantaged kids.

‘I make it a practice sometimes to bring the kids up on the bench. I’ll ask them some questions about where they go to school and what they want to be,’ he told the Daily Mail in 2017.

‘I always make a point, particularly with kids who come from under-privileged neighborhoods, to ask if they want to be something professional like a judge or an astronaut or a doctor.

‘Maybe I’m placing something in their mind that if the judge thinks I can do this, then I can do this.’

Darrell Kroll, who faced Caprio alongside his eight-year-old son after getting a parking ticket while he delivered a pizza, said: ‘I think Judge Caprio is much more than fair – he listens’

Another clip featured a 96-year-old father who rarely drove, but had received a ticket during the course of taking his handucapped son to receive bloodwork for his cancer treatment

In January 2023, Caprio retired from the Providence Municipal Court after nearly 40 years on the bench. In October of that year, the city renamed its municipal courtroom in his honor.

Shortly after celebrating his 87th birthday in December 2023, Caprio revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In a heartfelt message, he asked the public for their prayers.

‘People ask me, “What can I do for you?” First of all, I can’t thank you enough for your friendship and kind messages. But I would ask that each of you, in your own way, please pray for me,’ he said.

‘I am in need of the power of prayer, which I believe, in addition to the medical treatment I am receiving, is the most powerful weapon to help me survive this.’

He completed his final round of radiation treatment in May 2024.

Caprio is survived by his wife, Joyce, along with five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.