Paula Abdul said that Frank Caprio, the late Providence jurist known as "the nicest judge in the world," was a dear friend of hers.

Frank Caprio, the veteran municipal court judge who became a viral star and then got his own national TV show with his uncommon compassion in the courtroom, has died at 88. The son of an Italian immigrant milkman,

US celebrity judge and social media star Frank Caprio has died aged 88, his family has said. Over a 40-year career in Rhode Island, he famously used compassion and humour to make judgements that took into consideration the personal circumstances of the people in the dock.