Frank Caprio, Beloved ‘Nicest Judge in the World,’ Dies at 88 After Leaving a Final Plea for Prayers
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Judge Frank Caprio, the Rhode Island jurist whose courtroom compassion made him a viral sensation and earned him the nickname “the nicest judge in the world,” has died at the age of 88 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. His death was announced Wednesday by his family, just a day after he shared an emotional video from his hospital bed asking his millions of followers to “remember me in your prayers.”
“Last year I asked you to pray and it’s clear that you did because I went through a very difficult time,” Caprio said in the video. “Unfortunately I had a setback and I’m back in the hospital, and I’m asking you to remember me in your prayers once again. I’m a big believer in the power of prayer. I think the Almighty is watching over us, so please remember me.”
Caprio’s passing was confirmed in a statement posted on his social media accounts. “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,” the family wrote. “He will be remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. His legacy lives on in the countless acts of kindness he inspired.”
Born Francesco Caprio in Providence in 1936, the son of an Italian immigrant fruit peddler, he rose from modest beginnings to become chief judge of the Providence Municipal Court, where he served from 1985 until his retirement in 2023. His televised courtroom program, Caught in Providence, produced by his brother Joe, brought his rulings to a national and later global audience. Clips from the show — often showing Caprio waiving or reducing fines for struggling families, or inviting children to help him make rulings — went viral on social media, earning him more than 3 million followers on Instagram and 1.6 million on TikTok.
Caprio believed in applying “the rule of common sense” and often emphasized that verdicts should never make life harder for those already in difficult circumstances. “I don’t wear a badge under my robe,” he once said. “I wear a heart.” That philosophy turned mundane municipal cases into inspirational moments that resonated with audiences around the world.
In one widely shared case, Caprio invited a six-year-old girl to help decide her mother’s fine for parking on a sidewalk. Offering her options from paying the full $300 penalty to waiving it entirely, the girl chose to reduce it — only for Caprio to sweeten the deal by suggesting the case be dismissed if her mother bought her breakfast. Such rulings reflected his belief that fairness and humanity were inseparable.
Caprio’s compassion extended beyond the bench. He served on the Providence City Council, ran for Rhode Island Attorney General, and was a delegate to five Democratic National Conventions. He also established the Antonio “Tup” Caprio Scholarship Fund, named after his father, to support Rhode Island students pursuing legal careers focused on underserved communities.
Tributes poured in after his death. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee called him a “Rhode Island treasure” and ordered flags at half-mast. “On a personal level, he was a friend who faced his illness with bravery, and I will miss him dearly,” McKee said. State House Speaker Joe Shekarchi added: “Judge Caprio utilized his position for the greater good and helped countless individuals who appeared before him to turn their lives around. His 88 years of service to Providence and the entire state have made Rhode Island a better place.”
Less than a week before his death, Caprio posted what would become a parting reflection: “A life built on kindness is a life that echoes long after we’re gone.”
Judge Frank Caprio is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Joyce, their five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
For the millions who watched him dispense justice with warmth and humor, his legacy is clear: compassion is as much a part of justice as the law itself.