Despite his battle with cancer and his advanced age, the death of Frank Caprio, who was known as “the nicest judge in the world,” shocked many of his fans.
Many of his wholesome and heartwarming courtroom moments went viral, and all for the right reasons, helping him gain the admiration from people not only in the States but worldwide.
Frank Caprio was a Providence, Rhode Island, judge and the son of Italian immigrants who grew up in the Italian-American neighborhood of Federal Hill in Providence. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Providence College in 1958 and started teaching American government at Hope High School in Providence, all the while pursuing night courses at Suffolk University School of Law in Boston.
Caprio became an international sensation thanks to his traffic court cases, which captured the attention of social media users worldwide, racking up over 1.7 billion views.
What not many knew, however, is that Judge Caprio’s wife of over 60 years, Joyce, played part in her husband become a celebrated public figure.
In fact, it was her who suggested he showcased the footage of his court cases that his brother filmed.
“I didn’t like the idea actually, but of course, when my wife makes a suggestion, I usually don’t win that battle,” Caprio told Rhode Island Monthly.
“I agreed we would try it and see if it was something that worked. And there was an overwhelmingly positive response.”
First, his cases aired on WLNE-TV, with a run on ABC 6 at the turn of the century, which helped him gain local popularity. He, however, only gained global recognition once John Methia of Sociable, also the senior producer for Citylife Production, posted the videos to Facebook and YouTube.
In 2017, Caprio received what he called “the magic phone call” from Debmar-Mercury, which led to national attention for Caught in Providence. The series launched with 130 episodes airing twice daily on Fox, reaching 90 percent of the U.S., including major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
“It’s surreal,” executive producer Joe Caprio said. “I am not a kid, so for this to happen at this stage of my life, God is good… I kept it real all these years. What is there is what we saw. It’s all about a good person helping people.”
While he become a public figure later in life, it was his marriage that was the foundation of his life.
Judge Caprio and wife Joyce raised five children together and built a quiet life out of the spotlight. She was his support throughout his life, especially during his battle with pancreatic cancer.
In one of his home videos that he shared, Judge Caprio paid tribute to his wife’s unwavering support, calling her “the incredible woman who gave me the greatest gift of all: our five amazing children!”
He continued, “Your strength, love, and endless devotion shape our family every single day.”
Months prior to his passing, he once again shared his devotion and love for his wife with a heartfelt photo and a message.
Rest in peace, Judge Frank Caprio, the world will miss your kindness.
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