When a Taiwanese woman visiting the U.S. was pulled over for speeding, she braced herself for the worst – a hefty fine, maybe even a lecture. But what she didn’t expect was to walk into a courtroom and meet the most compassionate judge she’d ever encountered.
The woman, identified only as Mei Lin, was visiting friends in Providence, Rhode Island, when she accidentally went a few miles over the speed limit. Jet-lagged and still adjusting to American roads, she was stopped by police and told she’d have to appear in traffic court.
Nervous and embarrassed, Mei Lin showed up before Judge Frank Caprio – the man millions know from Caught in Providence, a TV show famous for capturing his heart-warming interactions with everyday people.
What happened next could’ve come straight out of a feel-good movie.
As Mei Lin explained that she was visiting from Taiwan and hadn’t realised the speed limit dropped on that stretch of road, Judge Caprio didn’t cut her off or scold her. Instead, he smiled and asked about her trip, what she thought of America, and whether she’d tried clam chowder yet.
The courtroom chuckled, and the atmosphere instantly changed.
After listening carefully, Judge Caprio nodded and said, “You’re far from home, and you made an honest mistake. I think we can show you a little kindness today.”
Instead of slapping her with a fine, he dismissed the ticket and told her to “enjoy her stay – and maybe slow down a little.”
Mei Lin was stunned. “I thought I was going to cry,” she later said. “He made me feel seen, not judged.”
Clips from the courtroom quickly went viral online, racking up hundreds of thousands of views. People praised the judge’s empathy, calling him a “legend” and a “reminder that justice can have a heart.”
Judge Frank Caprio has long been known for moments like this — choosing compassion over punishment, and reminding everyone that even in a courtroom, humanity still matters.
As one commenter put it:
“Only Judge Caprio could turn a speeding ticket into a lesson about kindness.”
And honestly, they’re not wrong.
About the Author
