Judge Frank Caprio, viral face of courtroom compassion, dies at 88

Frank Caprio, the longtime U.S. judge whose compassionate courtroom rulings made him a global internet sensation through the show "Caught in Providence," died Wednesday at the age of 88.

His family said he passed away peacefully after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Judge Frank Caprio passed away peacefully… after a long and courageous battle,” his family said in a Facebook statement. “In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world — just as he did every day.”

A kind heart in the courtroom

Caprio rose to international fame for his empathetic handling of minor violations and his ability to deliver justice with warmth and humor.

His show, Caught in Providence, was filmed in his municipal courtroom and aired locally for 20 years before gaining national syndication. Clips from the show later went viral online, drawing more than a billion views on YouTube and social media platforms.

“I don’t wear a badge under my robe — I wear a heart,” he often said, a line that came to symbolize his approach to justice.

Caprio publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis in December 2023. He continued to post updates to his 1.7 million Instagram followers, sometimes recording messages during chemotherapy sessions.

Tributes from across Rhode Island

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff until Caprio’s burial. He called the judge “a Rhode Island treasure” and praised his ability to connect with people on a deep level.

“He showed us all what justice with humanity can look like,” McKee said.

Caprio retired in 2023 after nearly 40 years on the bench. In early 2025, he released his memoir, Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America’s Nicest Judge.

Born in the working-class Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence, Caprio became a lawyer, educator, and eventually chief judge of the city’s municipal court.

His family remembered him as “a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend” whose “warmth, humor and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him.”