Frank Caprio, the ‘world’s nicest judge’, dies aged 88

Reality TV and social media star Frank Caprio, who became known as ‘the nicest judge in the world’, has died aged 88.

The American judge and politician served as the chief judge of the municipal court of Providence, Rhode Island.

He rose to fame when starring in the TV series Caught in Providence, which ran between 2018 and 2020.

Although the series, which saw people facing prosecution were ‘met with compassion’, only ran for two seasons, in the years since clips from the 50 episodes have gone viral.

The show’s YouTube channel now has over 2.92 million subscribers, while his TikTok has 1.6 million followers.

Caprio’s death was announced on his Instagram page, with the statement reading: ‘Judge Frank Caprio passed away peacefully at the age of 88 after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

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

‘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.

‘In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world — just as he did every day.’

His social media pages were quickly flooded with tributes from fans who wanted to pay their respects.

‘I’m devastated! I prayed for him last night. I am so so sorry for his friends and family- he was such a light, and I looked forward to hearing his messages of kindness everyday. I will keep his word close to my heart. So happy to know he graced this earth,’ Michelle commented on Instagram.

‘My God, what sad news. My total admiration. A gentleman of honor and justice. My condolences to his entire family. A great man has been lost, and he has gained an angel in heaven. God bless you,’ Hermes shared.

‘May you rest in peace Judge Caprio! You were an amazing and compassionate man!’ Moya added.

In 2023, Caprio revealed that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer around the time of his birthday in an emotional video on social media.

‘This birthday is a little different than any other I have ever had,” Caprio said at the time. “Quite recently, I was not feeling well and received a medical examination, and the report was not a good one. And so, I have been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas, which is an insidious form of cancer.’

Just a day before he died, Caprio shared a video from a bed, asking his fans to keep him in their thoughts.

‘Last year I asked you to pray for me, and it’s very obvious that you did because I came through a very difficult period. Unfortunately, I’ve had a setback. I’m back in the hospital now and I’m coming to. you again asking you to remember me in your prayers once more.’

The son of Italian immigrants, Caprio was born in Providence, Rhode Island and initially worked as a teacher, before pursuing a career in law.

From 1985 to 2023, he served as a Providence Municipal Court Judge.

He was also elected to the Providence City Council in 1962 and served until 1968, while also later chairing the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education.

The judge said in 2017 of his approach to handing down rulings: ‘I hope that people will take away that the institutions of government can function very well by exercising kindness, fairness, and compassion in their deliberations. We live in a very contentious society. I would hope that people will see that we can dispense justice without being oppressive.’

Caprio was married to his wife Joyce E. Caprio for 60 years, with the couple sharing five children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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