Top 10 Heartwarming Judge Caprio Cases

A young motorist gets caught going through a red light on a traffic camera. Although Judge Caprio quickly takes apart the defendant's excuse that the signal was yellow, he still gets to know the accused. When the judge discovers the defendant is a high school student with college aspirations, he decides to waive the violation on one condition: the student must earn a college degree. The way that Caprio encourages the student is heartwarming. Even though things go a little off the rails when the student claims he knows the judge’s grandson, the case is still a great display of the Caprio’s kind nature.

In this case, a father was charged with going a blistering 10 mph over the 25 mph speed limit. After asking a few questions, Judge Caprio invites the man’s family to the front of the courtroom. He then asks the defendant’s son, Menelik, to say whether his father is innocent or guilty. Menelik doesn’t hesitate to do the right thing and gives an honest verdict. Everyone erupts in laughter as the boy incriminates his father. Fortunately for the defendant, Judge Caprio decides to dismiss the speeding charge. He also ends the case by giving Menelik a shout-out for his honesty.

This case was short but definitely entertaining. Debra came to court thinking that she had two red light violations. Upon discovering she was sent a third ticket for the same offense before she received the other two, she formed an illogical defense. Debra claimed that if she had known about the earliest ticket, she would’ve stopped herself from going through two more lights. Judge Caprio’s baffled reaction is priceless. After absorbing her lapse in logic, he dismantles her argument and offers to show the video evidence. When Debra declines, he lets out one last laugh before making her pay the fines.

Another driver was charged with just barely sliding through a red signal. She argued that a box truck blocked her view of the light changing. Judge Caprio checked the camera footage and quickly discounted her argument. However, he offers her a better defense that was based in traffic law. But his offer seems to go over the defendant’s head and she still tries to use her original argument to win the case. Although Caprio criticizes her for not listening, he still dismisses the charge. Considering that this case could’ve cost the defendant eighty-five dollars, this driver was lucky that the judge had a great defense.

If you’ve ever gotten a parking ticket for being a bit too early, this case will be cathartic for you. Sarah pulled up to a zone that didn’t allow parking until 10:00. After she parked at 9:58, a ticket was issued for her car at 9:59 and 58 seconds. It’s clear from the start that Caprio finds this violation utterly ridiculous. But before dismissing the case, he jokingly calls Sarah out for her “horrible” decisions and playfully threatens jail time for the minor offense. By the time Sarah exits, Caprio leaves her and most of the courtroom in stitches.

A helmet-clad man named Jose Berentos arrives to court to fight a parking ticket. Berentos explains that his son was picking him up from the hospital after a recent brain surgery. But when a traffic officer saw his son had pulled up next to a fire hydrant, they received a parking ticket. After hearing the explanation, Judge Caprio doesn’t hesitate to dismiss the case. What makes this verdict even more heartwarming is that the judge takes a moment to ask Jose how he’s doing. In a brief interaction, Caprio once again shows that he truly cares about the people that come to his courtroom.

A young girl named Jenice is called to the stand to judge her mother’s case. After hearing her mom’s argument, Caprio asks Jenice to decide whether her mother will get a fine or be let off the hook. After the girl hilariously chooses to charge her mother $50.00, the judge asks if the girl has eaten breakfast. When she shakes her head, the judge says the case will be dismissed if her mother takes her out to eat. This case wasn’t the only time a defendant got this delicious sentence. (*xref) In Caprio’s courtroom, you can’t underestimate the most important meal of the day.

You don’t always need a complicated defense to succeed. In one case, a man is charged with going through a red light. He admits his guilt and adds that he was confused because there were “mad lights” at the intersection where he turned. Instead of discounting the man’s argument, Judge Caprio takes a closer look at it. He agrees that there were too many lights while calling out the traffic controllers responsible for that intersection. After Caprio makes sure the defendant recognizes the problem, he dismisses the case. This verdict shows that Caprio really listens to arguments, even if he chooses to phrase it differently.

As soon as Judge Caprio reads the charges for a parking ticket, the defendant pleads guilty and asks to explain. The defendant reveals that he is a veteran and parked on the sidewalk of a VA hospital while receiving medical treatment. He goes on to highlight that parking is a consistent problem there and asks the judge to consider a lighter sentence for himself and other veterans that receive care near the hospital. Caprio responds with a heartfelt speech that commends veterans for their sacrifice. He closes by dismissing the case along with any fees.





Before we pass a verdict on our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.



Party’s Over



A Lovely Day In Court




Warding Off The Evil Eye

Andrea Rogers came into Caprio’s courtroom with tickets totaling up to $400. In the middle of the proceedings, she is overcome with emotion. Rogers reveals that she accumulated the tickets while being evicted and taking care of her son’s affairs after his death. Once Caprio hears her story, he reduces her fines to $50. When Andrea admits that would leave her with just $5, he changes his verdict on the spot and dismisses all of her tickets. Caprio’s incredible display of compassion brought him national attention and showed that a little kindness can make a huge difference in somebody’s life.