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Why 'world's kindest judge' Frank Caprio's biggest fan base was right here in UAE
Caprio passed away on August 20 aged 88 after battling cancer. He visited the UAE twice, winning residents over with wise speeches and fun selfies.
- PUBLISHED: Thu 21 Aug 2025, 11:45 AM UPDATED: Thu 21 Aug 2025, 2:14 PM
Loud cheers and applause greeted him when he rose to speak at a session at the Sharjah Expo Center in 2023. It’s been two years, but his words still ring in my ears: in a world driven by conflict and division, “people are yearning for kindness…that I find in my courtroom and here in Sharjah.”
He also added that the one of the largest followings he had was from the UAE. “The top city in the world that follows 'Caught in Providence', and my personal Facebook page, is right here in the UAE,” he said.
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Judge Frank Caprio — who passed away on August 20 — didn’t take the stage to wow the crowds. There were no theatrics, just an honest, conversation-style speech that the audience could connect with without feeling overwhelmed. I’ve sat through my share of keynote addresses, but the world’s nicest judge truly had the nicest things to say.
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I remember the room tilting toward him, not out of duty, but out of respect for a man the audience trusted. Phones were tucked away, except for a few, recording every word. Almost like a laugh track, the hall burst into chuckles whenever he cracked a joke — and he was genuinely funny, his humour never at anyone’s expense. Thunderous applause followed every wise observation, as seniors and youngsters alike nodded in agreement. Everyone was hungry for wisdom from the man who had won the hearts of millions across the world with his compassion and kindness.
Instances of kindness
During his speech in Sharjah, Judge Caprio shared the story of 96-year-old Victor Colella, who came to his court charged with speeding. In a viral video that has been viewed over 500 million times, Victor told the judge that he drove only when he had to and was taking his cancer-stricken, handicapped 63-year-old son for bloodwork when he was fined.
"We had indisputable evidence that he was guilty,” he said. “I knew it. He knew it. Everybody in the courtroom knew it. But this wonderful man was so dedicated to his family that there was no way he would run to pay a fine in my courtroom. So, considering his circumstances, I dismissed the case. I congratulated him for being a great father, and I told him that we would pray for his son."
This was the brand of justice Judge Caprio stood for — understanding circumstances, believing in second chances and being compassionate to the people he came across instead of simply going by the books. Victor and Judge Caprio became firm friends until the former’s death in October 2024. The story warmed the hearts of his audience in Sharjah — which included the emirate’s ruler and Supreme Council member Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi — and was met with thunderous applause but wasn't at all surprising.
For his over two-decade-long term as the chief judge of the municipal court of Providence in Rhode Island, his judicial work was televised on the programme, 'Caught in Providence'. Over two seasons, the four-time Emmy nominated show documented various instances of his kindness. He often called children to the bench to help pass judgment on their parents. In one instance, he listened sympathetically to a woman whose son was killed and then dismissed her tickets and fines of $400.
Early days
However, he admitted to his audience that he was not always this compassionate or kind and that his father was the one who taught him a lesson. He reminisced about a couple to whom he had given a maximum fine, irked by their “belligerent and obstinate" attitude and thought that he had set an example.
However, his father visited him in his chamber soon after. "He said, Frank, how could you make them pay the full fine? You should have helped them," he said. "Why didn't you understand their circumstances? It wasn't because they were bad people. And he gave me a lesson on compassion, understanding, and forgiveness, particularly based on the circumstances of each situation."
He shared that since then, he has always put himself in the shoes of those who appear before him and that his father’s lesson had “resonated around the world.” Long after he walked out of the hall, the conference was abuzz with the lessons he had imparted.
During his visit to the emirate, Judge Caprio also interacted with students at the American University of Sharjah and said, “It is not important how you start but how you finish,” before urging them to study hard and conquer the world. He was also spotted around several locations in the UAE where he was often stopped for selfies by fans.
