Thank you all very much for your questions! Unfortunately, that's all the time I have for today. Thank you all for watching our show, and for your continued support. It is very moving to hear all of the feedback from all over the world.

We will soon be premiering a new behind-the-scenes FB Live web series with my brother, and Caught in Providence creator, Joseph Caprio. So stay tuned for that.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this, and I hope we can do it again!

Comments: 573 • Responses: 32  • Date: 

iamaAMAfan413 karma

Hello Judge Caprio!

What’s the craziest excuse you’ve ever heard in court?

caughtinprovidence973 karma

One of the craziest excuses I ever heard was from a man who received a speeding ticket, and he said he didn't realize how hard he was pushing on the gas pedal because he'd just bought a new pair of shoes that were tight.

bigkbull362 karma

Hello and good morning, your Honor!

Born and raised in Lil Rhody here. My question to you is:

Do you get as excited as I do when someone or something from our state ends up on national TV or on a website like this that's viewed by millions?

Every time I see one of your videos pop up on here I'm always very happy to see it. Thanks for entertaining us and thanks for being an understanding gentleman.

caughtinprovidence430 karma

I am a big cheerleader for Rhode Island, and I am delighted with any favorable publicity for our great state. I think we have an extraordinary quality of life here. and we should all be very grateful.

iamnoraa221 karma

Hi from Bangalore, India. Love your show. When are you going to run for President?

caughtinprovidence473 karma

As a young boy I was told that we all had equal opportunity in the United States, and that through hard work and perseverance, we can be anything even President. I did get involved in politics, and in my early 20's was elected into the Providence City Council. Thereafter, I ran for the Mayor of Providence and was defeated. So, I guess my aspirations to be President were some what unrealistic.

FurryMenace180 karma

Hi from the UK! Do you think the presence of cameras in the court changes how people behave?

caughtinprovidence305 karma

For the most part, court proceedings proceed in the same fashion with or without the cameras, however as always there are a few who think they are on a stage and act accordingly.

SpeculativeDesign138 karma

Hello your Honor, Can you tell us about any cases where you saw the defendant years later? And if they did or did not turn their lives around, how so?

Thank you, I love the show. You are so down to earth and sensible even when dealing with the biggest knuckleheads.

caughtinprovidence955 karma

An aggressive panhandler appeared before me more than 20 times, and I told him that if he continued I would have no choice but to send him to jail. I did not see him for one year thereafter. One day, I encountered him on a downtown street and he came running up to me, thanking me profusely for changing his life. Happily, I asked him how I changed his life and he replied: "I now take the train to Boston and panhandle outside of South Station and make 3 times more than as I was making in Providence."

a_plaw_in_your_flan125 karma

Good morning, Judge Caprio! Love your show.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island drivers sometimes rank as the worst in the nation. What common 'driving culture' misbehavior(s) would you correct to most improve New England driving?

Edit: 'sticking your nose out so you block traffic, just so you can turn sooner' drives me nuts.

caughtinprovidence178 karma

I have found that early childhood education, including safety on the highways, would be the most appropriate way to address this issue.

ThePlumbusDealer117 karma

Hello your Honor. If you could, what is one thing, about the judiciary system that you would change?

caughtinprovidence150 karma

In my judgement, the judicial system in Rhode Island, ranks among the best in the country.

forava7105 karma

what is the toughest verdict you had to hand down?

caughtinprovidence219 karma

I am very reluctant to incarcerate anyone unless it's warranted. One defendant was a repeat offender who I thought had become rehabilitated, but unfortunately he continued his old ways and I had to send him to prison.

PhosphoErk82 karma

Hi Judge! Thank you for embracing the media and public! I've got a few questions, so thank you for your patience :)

  1. What is the most memorable experience while doing your TV show?
  2. You have such a good heart bringing those kids to sit with you. Has any kid told you he or she wants to be a lawyer?
  3. What motivated you to go into law when you were younger?

Thank you again judge!

caughtinprovidence371 karma

Thank you for your questions!

1) There are too many to list.

2) I had one young lady indicate that she wants to be a judge, and I explained to her that she had to become an attorney first. Other than that, one instance, surprisingly I have not had more children respond as favorable to the law. However, I hope that I have inspired some younger people to enter the legal profession. I don't think I was as persuasive as my father was.

3) My dad was an immigrant from Italy, who came here as a fruit peddler, and like so many others had a hope and a vision that life would be substantially better for his children than it was for him. He told me at an early age, around 7, that I was such a fast talker that I had to be a lawyer and that I could not charge poor people like us. He also told me he couldn't afford to send me to college, but that I had no choice but to find a way to go. I never forgot that, and I never aspired to be anything else in life other than an attorney because of my father's influence. I worked three jobs to put myself through college. After college, I could not afford to go to law school so I taught school in Providence, and drove the 15 miles to Boston to attend law school in the evenings at Suffolk University. To this day, I have never charged poor people.

SpeculativeDesign68 karma

Last question your Honor, growing up with not a lot of money, did any of your friends take the wrong path? Did you ever see what became of them if so?

caughtinprovidence105 karma

Unfortunately, some of the young men from my neighborhood took a wrong path in life. It's very sad because most of them came from caring, loving, families. Some of them have spent time in prison.

jmoney662 karma

Good Morning Your Honor, What is that one case you've presided over that you will never forget?

caughtinprovidence197 karma

The case of Ricky Baldwin, who continued to yell "Double Jeopardy", when asked about previous offenses and then threatened to kill me.

salellington60 karma

Some of the traffic violations you have been in the favor of the defendant since the signage was wrong or confusing. Do those issues get resolved after? The overnight parking ban is a matter of 3-4 hours. Seems silly, can we get rid of it?!

caughtinprovidence97 karma

When signage is defective, the bureau of prosecution reports the issue to the traffic engineer.

The overnight parking ban was originally created to allow the streets to be swept by street sweepers. This is no longer the case. However, there is an issue with some narrow streets, which would block emergency vehicles from entering.

notwutiwantd39 karma

Hello, what is usually the best route for a fellow to take, if he has been busted turning right on red without stopping, or caught going 55 in a 54, if he wants to receive clemency?

No disrespect intended, Sir. I am bringing examples of minor infractions where there were times when the judgement was strict at times, and lenient other times.

caughtinprovidence100 karma

The best route is to always tell the truth.

RedditScope34 karma

What court case left you restless at night? Thank you :>

caughtinprovidence83 karma

I have on occasion thought on some of my decisions, and hoped that my judgement reflected a just disposition on the matter before me.

Arluza33 karma

Have you or your brother ever considered writing something about how to implement a similar series through other courts? If my local court did communication like your show, I'd probably find them more easy to appoach.

caughtinprovidence38 karma

That is not part of our future plans.

latifjin31 karma

Hello your Honor. What's the specific reason that your brother start the show?

caughtinprovidence69 karma

My brother was filming the Mayor of Providence, and other events in the city, and my wife said to him "You film everyone else, why don't you film your brother(me)?". I resisted at first, because I didn't think that there would be an appetite for it. The first week it aired, it became very popular to my surprise.

d_thethom27 karma

How do you feel about the widespread use of plea-deals for defendants to quickly resolve small offenses, such as possession? Do you feel it forces innocent people to now have a criminal record to avoid court costs and longer sentences?

I love the work you're doing, thanks for doing this!

caughtinprovidence32 karma

It depends on the nature of the offense, and whether or not there is a valid defense to the charge.

codesForLiving23 karma

Good morning your Honour.

How has your life changed after "Caught in Providence"?

caughtinprovidence48 karma

Good morning! I am more recognizable now than I was before, and I feel I have an obligation to take the time and acknowledge people when they speak to me. Also, I get more requests for speaking engagements and to perform weddings.

vortish22 karma

Hello your Honor.

In your years on the bench what were some of the strangest cases that were brought before you?

caughtinprovidence50 karma

One of the strangest cases you may have seen on our YouTube channel titled: "Hibernate Like A Squirrel". A gentleman was having a dispute with his neighbor over parking in his driveway, and as a result he hit his neighbor with a 5lb hammer.

RungeKutta421 karma

Hi

Do you some times feel like the minor cases are wasting resources?

caughtinprovidence96 karma

No, everyone is entitled to his or her day in court regardless of how minor the offense is.

onastyinc21 karma

How do you feel about accents. Your rhodie accent is pretty distinct, so I'm wondering how you feel about other accents?

Thanks,

caughtinprovidence77 karma

I am a very tolerant person.

propr9020 karma

Good Morning your Honor,

Have you seen the series "OJ, Made in America"? And if so, how accurately was a real court room portrayed? Thanks!

caughtinprovidence21 karma

I have not seen that series.

Bgst5520 karma

Good morning judge, a simple one here: what's your favorite color?

caughtinprovidence42 karma

Blue.

MoKenna19 karma

Hi Judge Caprio.

You seem to be interested in community development. Are there any community programs in Providence that you would like to give a shout ?

caughtinprovidence60 karma

I'm a strong advocate of community development however, I would like to give a shout out to Adoption Rhode Island for the wonderful work they do.

SonofGizmoduck18 karma

Good morning your Honor! What do you do to unwind after a hard day in court?

caughtinprovidence38 karma

Good morning! My favorite ways to relax are to read a good book, watch a sporting event, or weather-permitting play golf.

Cjmax0115 karma

I've been really enjoying your videos and its very refreshing to see a judge with an excellent sense of humor and common decency. Generally I do believe you are doing a fantastic job as a judge, however, recently there was a case I did disagree with and I would just like to hear a little of your input provided you have the time. Now, I am fully aware that you don't necessarily put the fines in place in regards to minimum/maximum, but you definitely do hold some power over adjusting the final amount paid, pay length, etc.. Red light violations typically carry a charge of $85 in Providence, running a red is a serious problem which can certainly end up in something disastrous. For the consequences which may come from running a red, I really don't feel the $85 is enough even for first time offenders (if they are flat-out guilty), but that's really just my opinion. My question is in regards to a young man you had on not too long ago who was fined $100 for playing loud music at noon. Why, as a judge that has been very fair and compassionate to his fellow man, did you see a $100 charge for a "crime" which has no victims as fair, but regularly (at least what is shown from the videos) reduce charges on more serious violations that have potential to hurt people? Thanks so much for your time and have a great day Judge Caprio!

caughtinprovidence42 karma

Loud music is an environmental offense which is a civil penalty and not a crime. The original fine for the offense you mentioned was $500 and I reduced it to $100.

saltymcsushi13 karma

Good morning Judge Caprio! I've been a big fan of the show since I was exposed to it while attending Providence College.

Do you have a lot of fun making the show? Or do you just go about your job without much noticing the cameras?

caughtinprovidence25 karma

I am very fortunate that I enjoy my job, however the cameras have no influence on my judgement.

rickmuscles11 karma

What tips do you have for winning elections?

caughtinprovidence34 karma

Personal contact with the voters, and being honest, forthright, and transparent.

Frajer11 karma

What is the most common type of case you have to decide on?

caughtinprovidence24 karma

The cases that come before my court are mostly traffic offenses, environmental issues, and misdemeanors.

Sniper_Brosef10 karma

Hitting someone with a 5lb hammer falls under that?

caughtinprovidence38 karma

He was before my court for the parking violation, not the assault. If you watch the case, titled: "Hibernate Like A Squirrel" he was explaining to me why he was going to Superior Court.

potatosharkbait4 karma

Proof?

caughtinprovidence8 karma

When we wrote our sign off message, we deleted the original post, including our proof link. Here it is: https://www.dropbox.com/s/02sqm3jqilwm1qz/unnamed%20%281%29.jpg?dl=0

mgedvado-42 karma

Why have you become such a media whore? Isn't dispensing justice enough?

caughtinprovidence22 karma

I try in all of my public actions to reflect credit on to the judiciary.