Aletihad Staff (ABU DHABI)

For Judge Frank Caprio, the 86-year-old celebrity American judge known as “The Nicest Judge in the World”, the courtroom is not merely a chamber of black and white decisions. Rather, it is a vivid canvas painted with the complex stories, struggles, hopes and dreams of every individual and defendant.
Every individual that stood before Judge Caprio in the courtroom was more than just a name. They stood before him as they are - people, each with their own stories, struggles, and hopes, the American judge told Aletihad English during a visit to Abu Dhabi this week, one in which the judge reported being overwhelmed by a welcoming and hospitable spirit.
The former Chief Judge of the Municipal Court of Providence, Rhode Island -the smallest state in the US- became a world-reknowned judge known for a heart that goes beyond the black robe and the stern gavel, and judicial discretion that prioritises the spirit of the law over its letter.
Caprio’s court is known worldwide due to the top-rated, nationally syndicated television show “Caught in Providence,” which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award in 2021.
Caprio said he learned his famed compassion from his father, an Italian immigrant and fruit peddler-turned-milkman. It is this compassion, Caprio said, that underpins his benevolent judicial philosophy. 
“If we were to conduct a court proceeding strictly on the letter of the law, then we really do not need a judge. We can just put a machine there and… if you are guilty, the machine says guilty. If you are not guilty, the machine says not guilty in those cases. Thus, 99 per cent of people would be guilty. So, I think it is very important that we take circumstances into consideration,” he said.
Judge Caprio’s courtroom became a beacon of hope for many after his remarkable blend of empathy, understanding and fairness garnered him global attention through countless shared videos and viral stories of his rulings. 
Remarking on one of his most memorable cases, Judge Caprio described a story in which a 96-year-old man named Victor was charged with speeding. When Caprio asked the man how he pleaded, the man confessed that he did in fact exceed the posted speed limit, but explained that he was driving his son to an appointment for cancer treatment. The judge said that he was so moved by the man’s story that he dismissed the case.
“That case is one that I can’t forget, Victor became a close friend. I was invited to his house, he baked me an apple pie. And he’s been invited to my house. And we’ve served him dinner. And recently, we helped him celebrate his 100th birthday,” he said.


For Judge Caprio, most individuals that he has encountered in his storied legal career have simply sought human empathy and understanding. “I think people basically crave understanding… this is what people are looking for. They’re looking for someone to understand the issues, and not only understand them, but act positively,” he said.
Of the judge’s sizable online following, social media users from the UAE rank among Caprio’s largest online fanbases, he said, noting that he is looking forward to a return trip to Abu Dhabi in the future.
“One of the most pleasant experiences I have had in my lifetime is visiting Abu Dhabi. I will never forget my first trip here. The welcoming that I had. The treatment by the people here, and by the government as well as by the residents of Abu Dhabi, was just overwhelming. It’s something I just can’t forget,” he said.
During his visit, he encouraged judges and lawyers to integrate their own humanity and conscience into their legal proceedings. 
“Do not try to be someone else. Do not try to be what people think judges should do. Act according to your own conscience, act according to your own principles - which I’m sure you are forgiving. And I’m sure they are understanding and compassionate. So act according to your own conscience, and don’t act according to what you think other people would expect of you,” he said.
Addressing the world, the judge said: “I would like the world to take kindness, understanding, compassion for everyone, and not to be very dogmatic.”
At Suffolk University School of Law, he founded the Antonio “Tup” Caprio Scholarship Fund, which is named for the Judge’s father. He has also established scholarships named in honor of his dad at Providence College; and at Providence’s Central High School.