Judge Frank Caprio, Known as ‘The Nicest Judge in the World,’ Dies

Beloved Rhode Island judge Frank Caprio has died after battling pancreatic cancer, his family confirmed Wednesday. He was 87.

Caprio’s death was announced on his official social media pages, just a day after he appeared in a video from his hospital bed asking followers to keep him in their prayers.

“Unfortunately, I’ve had a setback. I’m back in the hospital now and I’m coming to you again asking you to remember me in your prayers once more,” he said in the video.

Governor Dan McKee ordered flags in Rhode Island to fly at half-staff until Caprio’s burial, describing him as a “treasure” who showed how justice could be “tempered with humanity.”

Caprio became a household name through the Emmy-nominated television show Caught in Providence, where he presided over cases with humor, compassion, and empathy. His courtroom clips gained millions of views online, earning him the nickname “the nicest judge in the world.”

His family said he will be remembered not only as a judge but as “a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.”

“In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world—just as he did every day,” the family’s statement read.

Caprio served on the bench for more than 35 years, inspiring people around the globe with his kindness both inside and outside the courtroom.