Caught In Providence is a syndicated show that premiered Sept 24, which offers a close-up view of what Judge Caprio encounters in his courtroom on a daily basis.  What started as a cable access show in Providence, Rhode Island is now syndicated to 92 percent of the U.S.

His day can range from handling parking and speeding tickets to young kids of defendants joining him on the bench and helping decide the fate of their parents’ case. Judge Caprio’s unique approach has caused videos from his hearings to go viral, and they’ve garnered 1.5 billion views in one year.

So what makes this courtroom show different than anything seen in the past? Well, his compassion, understanding, and fairness combined with his no-nonsense approach makes for some interesting TV.

“In today’s environment with everyone struggling so much, it’s important to have forgiveness in the courtroom,” Judge Caprio says. “People are living paycheck to paycheck, and I take that into consideration.”

If you’ve ever wanted to be a fly on the wall in a courtroom, here’s your chance.  Although we can’t promise that every judge is as kind-hearted and funny as Frank.

“Absolutely nothing is done for TV. This is how I have been handling my courtroom for a long time,” he confirms.

Judge Caprio makes an announcement each morning letting people know that if they enter his courtroom, they could be featured on television. He says, “only about ten percent of the people decline to be part of the show.”

He has no idea what he’ll be dealing with each day until the defendant walks up to the stand. You don’t get any more real than that!

“I have no clue what’s coming before me. It’s a real genuine day in my life. Nothing is rehearsed and no second chances. This really is my first impression of them,” Judge Caprio says, adding that a “TV day” is no different than a “normal day” for him in his courtroom.

What started as a small local TV show has now grown into something bigger than what Judge Caprio could have ever imagined.  Comparing his show to reality TV is not really fair because there’s no pre-production and no manipulation of anything in the cases.  It’s just a court proceeding being captured the same way it has been for 25 years.

But what shines through in each episode are the lessons of compassion and forgiveness — something he learned from his parents, at a very young age. Much of how Judge Caprio handles his job is a direct reflection of the way he was raised. As a first generation American, his Italian parents gave him a home full of love and taught him a rock solid work ethic early on.

“My experiences as a young boy gave me my strength,” he reflects. “I had what I call a privileged boyhood, being raised a poor kid with a lot of love.”

As a middle child with a huge extended family, the Judge knows what it’s like to have a community around him that supports him. It’s clear that he brings the “it takes a village” mentality into his courtroom.  In light of the state of the world, we can only hope that more people take his lead.

Is Frank Caprio changing the world one court case at a time? You be the judge! Check your local listings for Caught in Providence.