Judge Frank Caprio served for decades as chief municipal judge in Providence, Rhode Island. / Credit: StephanieRPereira, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Judge Frank Caprio has become one of the most recognizable faces in the U.S. judicial system for his acts of kindness and compassion. 

For nearly 40 years, he listened to people who came to the main municipal courthouse in Rhode Island and went out of his way to show them mercy.

His work was featured in the four-time Emmy-nominated show “Caught in Providence” and in 2017 videos of his court cases went viral, reaching more than 15 million views.

Today, at 88, the retired judge, a Catholic, asks for prayers after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “EWTN News In Depth” correspondent Colm Flynn recently traveled to Florida to meet the man who is known as “the kindest judge in the world.”

A judge with a heart

“I had the most privileged childhood I could imagine… I had the privilege of being brought up poor,” the judge recalled. His father, Antonio Caprio, was an Italian immigrant who worked as a milkman.

“Some mornings he would wake my older brother and I up at 4 in the morning to work with him on the truck. I learned one of the most valuable lessons working with my dad on the truck: I learned how to treat people. I learned understanding. I learned compassion,” he said.

Inspired by his father’s words, Caprio studied law, passed the bar in 1965, and in 1985 became a judge on the Providence Municipal Court. Many of the deliberations he presided over were televised for more than 20 years on a local television station.

From his first day on the bench, he understood that his role was not only to enforce the law but also to understand the circumstances of those who appeared before him.

“One of the first people who appeared before me was a woman with a number of parking tickets,” he said. “She was obstinate, insulting… finally, in an act of desperation, I said to her: ‘I’m charging you the full amount and your car’s gonna get booted.’ I was pretty strong with her. But my father, when he heard about it, said to me, ‘She was scared. She has three kids. How’s she gonna to feed them? You probably took her money for dinner tonight.’ I learned a great lesson that day.”

For Caprio, that was a wake-up call. Being in a position of power didn’t mean he had to wield it against those who didn’t have it. He understood that most of the people who came to his courtroom were ordinary, hardworking people just trying to get by.

Justice with mercy

Over the years, Caprio won the hearts of the public with his humane and empathetic approach. “It’s very simple: I just place myself in their shoes, of the person in front of me. Compassion is a very, very strong trait.”

One of the cases that touched him most was that of a 96-year-old man who was charged with speeding. “He told me, ‘I drive slowly and I only drive when I have to. I was going to the blood work for my boy.’ Then I asked him, ‘How old is your son? ’And he replied, ‘Sixty-three, he’s got cancer.’ It was an unforgettable moment. His love and dedication as a father was touching.”

He also remembers a single mother who came to his court with her young daughter. “She told me, ‘I’m doing everything I can, but I can’t pay this fine.’ I saw the little girl looking at me with concern and I knew I had to help her. It wasn’t just about enforcing the law but about being fair in the truest sense of the word.”

A battle against cancer

Retired in 2023 and facing what is possibly his most difficult trial, Caprio has not lost faith. His story, marked by empathy and service, continues to inspire millions and is captured in his book “Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America’s Nicest Judge.” 

Regarding his diagnosis, he said: “When they told me, my first reaction was disbelief. But then I thought: I have lived a life full of blessings. I’m not going to let this define my later years.”

Today, the judge who brought mercy to justice asks for something in return: prayers. “I just try to be strong. I’m grateful for all the love and support I’ve received,” he said. 

Before ending the interview, Caprio left a message for all those who have followed him over the years: “If there’s one thing I want you to remember about me, it’s that we all deserve a little compassion. In life, kindness always finds its way back.”

In his book, he also seeks to leave a simple but concise message: “Be kind to others, be slow to judge, and always show mercy.” 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.