Latest news with #CaughtinProvidence
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Judge Frank Caprio named commencement speaker at his alma mater, Providence College
Retired Chief Judge Frank Caprio, Sr., a 1958 graduate of Providence College, will deliver the commencement address at his alma mater's 107th commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 18, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. (Contributed photo) Retired Rhode Island Chief Judge Frank Caprio, who gained fame as a mild-mannered dispenser of justice on the internet, will be the commencement speaker at Providence College this year, the school announced Wednesday. Caprio, 88, served for 38 years in the Providence Municipal Court where his public profile rose from starring in the Emmy-nominated 'Caught in Providence,' which began airing locally in 2000. The series featured Caprio ruling on cases like traffic or parking violations in a gentle way. Providence College is the first Rhode island higher education institution to announce its commencement speaker for the 2025 graduation season. The commencement ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at 11 a.m. at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. Caprio, who retired in 2023, has more than 26 million followers across different social media platforms, according to a PC news release, and his videos have over 10 billion views collectively. He has 2 million followers on both Facebook and Instagram. The son of Italian immigrants, Caprio was educated at Providence's Central High School, where his talents in scholastic wrestling won him the state championship in 1953. Caprio worked three jobs to finance his studies at Providence College, where he earned his bachelor's degree before going to teach classes in American government at Hope High School. While working as a teacher, Caprio went on to Suffolk University School of Law to earn his law degree, and began presiding over Providence courts in 1985. Caprio has been awarded two Honorary Doctorates of Law: one from Suffolk in 1991, and another from PC in 2008. The University of Rhode Island gave him an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service in 2016. Caprio previously chaired the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education, which in 2014 was consolidated into the Rhode Island Board of Education. The current equivalent of the Board of Governors is the Council on Postsecondary Education, and it oversees decision making for the state's three public institutions of higher learning: the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island. He also served on the Providence City Council from 1962 to 1968, and was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame of 2019. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Judge Caprio will be Providence College's 2025 commencement speaker
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — This year's graduates from Providence College will get to hear words of wisdom from 'America's Nicest Judge.' PC announced Wednesday their 2025 commencement speaker will be retired Rhode Island judge Frank Caprio on May 18 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. Caprio, 88, earned a bachelor's degree from the college in 1958 and a Honorary Doctorate of Law in 2008. He's most known for the TV show 'Caught in Providence,' which showcased his empathy and humor in the courtroom as chief judge in Providence's Municipal Court. WATCH: Interview with Judge Frank Caprio Last year, Caprio completed radiation treatment for pancreatic cancer after being diagnosed in December 2023. Caprio also released a book in February called 'Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America's Nicest Judge.' The book explains how he became the compassionate judge his fans know him as. MORE: Judge Frank Caprio releasing book Providence College said on May 16, there will be a separate ceremony for graduate students and graduates from School of Continuing Education at the Peterson Center on campus. Former Boston Police Department Commissioner Michael Cox will be that ceremony's speaker. This year is PC's 107th commencement. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Community Focus: Judge Frank Caprio
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Beloved judge and star of television's 'Caught in Providence' Frank Caprio joined 12 News at 4 on Thursday to talk about his first book, 'Compassion in the Court,' which went on sale earlier this week. Caprio told 12 News anchor Kim Kalunian that he wrote the book to share a bit of his backstory and experiences with a new audience, and hopes it will encourage people to be more compassionate, caring, and understanding in their interactions with others. 'I hope the main takeaway is that when [readers] are dealing with other people, particularly when they're in positions of authority, to place themselves in the shoes of the person that's before them,' Caprio said, adding that it's important to not be 'too mean or too dogmatic.' In the more autobiographical sections of 'Compassion in the Court,' Caprio emphasizes the impact his parents had on his life. When asked what they would think of the book, he answered with a laugh: 'They'd say 'Good job, Frank!'' Caprio is still undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, as he announced back in 2023. He said there's a 'long road ahead,' but hopes his positive attitude will continue to help him along the way. So what's next for the man known by many as 'The Nicest Judge in the World' now that he's conquered both television and print? 'Maybe a movie,' Caprio told 12 News. 'How about that?''Compassion in the Court' is available now wherever books are sold. Join Caprio at the Barrington Library this Saturday at 2 p.m. to get your copy autographed. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
America's ‘nicest judge' in America's angriest moment
During nearly 40 years on the bench in Providence, Caprio's famous leniency often provided a lifeline to people when they needed it most, moments when paying to have a boot removed from their car would mean going without groceries or missing rent. 'How were the ends of justice served if I imposed a maximum penalty on or revoked the license of a parent in financial difficulty who then could no longer take their kids to school or drive to work?' Caprio writes in his new book, ' .' ' In that case, I was compounding problems, not meting out a just punishment.' Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up So at a moment in this country when we have a president who thrives off division and never stops attacking his political opponents — even during tragedies like last week's Advertisement 'I would implore everybody to be compassionate and understanding of their fellow human beings,' Caprio said Tuesday, shortly after he left the set of ' Predictable. Poignant. And perfectly on brand for a man who didn't become internationally famous until after he turned 80, when his real-life court TV show, 'Caught in Providence,' was syndicated. Now, at 88, Caprio is battling what he calls 'uncurable' Frank Caprio, Sr. promotes his new book, "Compassion in the Court," on "Good Morning America." Good Morning America Caprio was one of the first in his family to graduate from high school, and the first to earn a college degree. After graduating from Providence College in 1958, he dreamed of attending Boston University Law School, but he couldn't afford it. Instead he worked as a public school teacher in Providence while attending Suffolk Law at night. Advertisement But his first dream wasn't to wear a black robe. It was politics. He was elected to Providence City Council, and then ran unsuccessfully for attorney general. One chapter in his book, 'How prejudice affected my political career,' outlines his lifelong gripe that his opponent's attempt to connect him to organized crime is what cost him the race. 'It took me a long, long time to let that go,' Caprio writes. 'If I'm being honest, I'm not sure I'm over it still. It's not something I like to discuss because it reopens deep wounds.' To be sure, Caprio turned out just fine. He made a fortune as an attorney and businessman, and became among the most influential behind-the-scenes players/fixers/dealmakers in Rhode Island politics for decades. The judgeship was always a part-time side hustle, but his brother Joseph started filming the courtroom in the late 1990s, and 'Caught in Providence' was born. In a typical episode, Judge Caprio listens to a person's sob story about why they couldn't pay their parking tickets in Providence, tells a charming story about his own life, and then lets them off with a heavily reduced fine. Tear-jerking. Hilarious. Relatable. And wildly popular. 'Caught in Providence' was broadcast for decades on local TV, then the Caprios sold the rights to Debmar-Mercury in 2017, and the little judge from Providence became a star. The show now boasts 16 million Advertisement 'The show has resonated around the world,' Caprio said. What made it work so well? On camera or off, Caprio said he couldn't think of a time since he became a judge in 1985 that he wasn't willing to grant some form of leniency to his defendants — 'I don't wear a badge under my robe, I wear a heart,' he says often enough for it to become something of a tag line. Even in moments where he wanted to slap someone with a stiff fine, he'd step back, and place himself in the shoes of the other person. 'You don't know what they're going through at that moment,' he said. He continued: 'Some judges get carried away with their authority. Just because you have authority doesn't mean you have to use it.' That's another good lesson for the times we are living in. Dan McGowan can be reached at
