During a time when the U.S. Supreme Court appears to be setting aside judicial precedent to strip fundamental rights from underrepresented citizens, there was one judge in New England who epitomized a judicial standard many of the justices would be wise to adopt. Judge Frank Caprio was the chief judge of the municipal court of Providence, Rhode Island.
Caprio was appointed to the court in 1985 and reappointed six times by the Providence City Council. The judge gained regional and national fame after the television show “Caught on Providence” launched in 2018.
Caprio died this week after a fierce battle with pancreatic cancer.
Alongside his trusty Inspector Ziggy Quinn, Caprio adjudicated countless cases that came across his desk. From noise violations by college students to parking tickets, the judge demonstrated an ethical and judicial standard from the bench not often seen in courts across the country.
Using kindness, humor and the law, Caprio gained the respect of his colleagues and every person standing before the bench. Caprio was once quoted as saying, “The Golden Rule applies everywhere in life, including the courtroom.”
Caprio’s judicial philosophy remained true to the end of his days in the court: “I want people who come to court to feel like their government institutions are of the people, for the people, and by the people.” Every defendant who found themselves before Caprio’s bench was treated with the utmost respect and integrity. The judge ensured that the rights of each defendant were upheld, while also helping the police understand and conduct their business in an honorable manner.
In a case where an 18-year-old male ran a stoplight, the judge dismissed his case after learning that the young man was heading to college soon. The dismissal came with a caveat, though; the young man had to guarantee the judge he would return with a college degree.
Caprio had a way of “getting to know” the defendants before him. Instead of moving them through the dehumanizing system, the judge’s curious nature prompted him to ask questions.
Once, a man came into his court charged with parking his vehicle in front of a fire hydrant. When Caprio found out the man’s son was driving the car because he had just been released from the hospital after brain surgery, the judge dismissed the case.
Even when the defendants were found guilty, the judge was kind and allowed them to leave the courtroom with smiles on their faces as they paid their fines. Again, Caprio, in his own words: “I encourage everyone to look for the good in people. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to find.”
More than any other attitude the judge displayed during his time on the bench, Caprio was known for his compassion. In one of the most famous cases, a grieving mother stood before the judge after being cited for numerous parking violations.
As the judge asked questions, he found out the woman had recently lost her son and was being evicted from her house. Initially, Caprio reduced her fines to $50, but after discovering she only had $55 in her pocket, the judge reversed his ruling and dismissed the charges altogether.
When asked why he demonstrated such compassion to citizens who violated the law, the judge responded: “I don’t have a badge under my judicial robe. I have a heart. I try to treat the people that come before me the way my parents taught me, with dignity and respect.”
When the Apostle Paul listed what he called the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), “love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” the tentmaker, once in his life, must have been before a judge like Frank Caprio.
A devout Catholic, Caprio remarked on his faith, “I have a deep and abiding faith in the Catholic Church, in Jesus, (and) in the power of prayer.”
Caprio demonstrated his faith by the way he adjudicated from the bench and the way he lived his life.
For example, A 96-year-old man named Victor appeared in court one day, charged with an unpaid speeding ticket. When the judge asked Victor why he was speeding, the elderly man revealed to the judge that he was taking his 63-year-old son to the doctor for his cancer treatment. The courtroom fell silent at the news.
The judge responded: “Victor, you’re a good man. I wish you and your son good health. Your case is dismissed. God bless you.”
However, that was not enough for the judge, who ultimately befriended Victor. On Victor’s 100th birthday, the judge surprised him by showing up at his home. Judge Frank Caprio was more than a judge; he was a decent, kind and generous soul.
As we pay tribute to the Honorable Frank Caprio for his remarkable career and exemplary life, I offer you permission on this Friday to take the next hour off from work to watch his videos. You will walk away a better person and inspired to live your life just as Judge Caprio did, honoring yourself by respecting others through the love Jesus demonstrated.
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