judge frank caprio

If you've perused the Internet at any point over the last decade or so, you've likely come across a video of Judge Frank Caprio. His cheerful disposition, compassion and kindness when ruling on traffic cases quickly made him a viral sensation. People who were fortunate enough to have him as their judge appreciated his approach to doling out consequences.

Recently, Judge Caprio's family announced his passing at the age of 88 from pancreatic cancer on his social media page. The post has been shared over 450K times by people who stood in his courtroom and celebrities alike. He was beloved by many and it didn't take long for tributes to flood in from those who will miss his presence in the world.

Judge Frank CaprioScreenshot Judge Caprio's Facebook

Caprio served as a chief judge of the Providence, Rhode Island municipal court, where many of his court cases were televised on Caught in Providence. It was clips from that local show shared to the Internet that catapulted him to social media fame. People couldn't get enough of this kind judge and his witty sense of humor. He was known for offering assistance or reducing fees so dramatically the person on the receiving end would burst into tears from relief.

The judge took his time to hear everyone out and ensure that he provided them with a fair chance to pay their fees without going broke. This is something courtroom attendees and viewers both appreciated about Judge Caprio. It's always said that kindness goes a long way but looking at the tributes to the late judge, it's clear that his kindness was life-changing for some.

One man pens a heartfelt response to the news of Judge Caprio's passing, saying, "Its rare that the passing of one man can be such a tragic loss for humanity, but this is one of those cases. He was a rare, beautiful soul, who always thought before he acted. He was a master at perspective, and always put himself in the other person's shoes. The bench has been missing him since he left, and now America and the rest of the world will miss him. I believe there's a beautiful place in Heaven for such outstanding people. Until we see you again Judge, please keep us safe from up above, the same as you did when you were with us. God bless you, your legacy, and your family. Prayers with all rest in peace sir."

Another says, "I will always remember him for his empathy, compassion, kindness and his true nature of being a human. His philosophy 'Just because you have authority, it does not mean you have to exercise that authority in a bad way.' Frank Caprio was more than a judge—he became a symbol of mercy, warmth and understanding within the justice system. May his soul find peace. May his family find the strength to overcome this loss."

Someone else remembers, "I’ll never forget when he excused the 90-year-old man off a ticket when he was going over the speed limit to bring his special needs 65-year-old son to a medical appointment."

"I went before Judge Caprio for a parking ticket. I was parked in the handicap spot cause I had a kidney stone and couldn't wait to go find a regular spot, I needed to get pain medication fast. He told me he was waiving the fine and if I ever needed to go to the hospital for that again, don't worry about where to park just go inside and come back and he would waive that ticket as well. Anytime I ever needed to. God bless that man!" another shares.

One person sums up Judge Caprio best, saying, "Now this is what it means to live a fulfilling life... This is what it means to make impact and touch people's life... This is what life is all about."

Judge Caprio's son David shares that services will be held for his father in Providence, Rhode Island on August 28 for Calling Hours and August 29 for the Funeral Mass. The younger Caprio says that further details will be available at a later time. In the meantime, if you'd like to honor Judge Caprio's legacy of kindness, the Filomena Fund, named after Judge Caprio's late mother, accepts donations that go towards helping to pay traffic tickets to those in need.