Sometimes you come across a book that could change and have a massive impact on the world - this is THAT book! I wish this could be put in the hands of every politician and member of the justice system.

Frank Caprio is well know for sharing his life in the courtroom on our screens, with a high level of respect and compassion and creating an open and safe space for all who come before him. In this book he shares his life story, his families history, along with cases that were in his courtroom.

Many times while listening to his story, I would find myself just tearing up, I feel that compassion is slowly becoming lost in our world and it gave me back a little bit of hope for future.

It reminds us that just one small act of kindness or thoughtfulness can create a wave of positive change for a person and can truly change their life. We need to admit when we make mistakes and think before we judge, by putting ourselves in the shoes of others and trying to understand their circumstances.

I agree that we all need to aim to be teachers in this world, sharing our strengths with each other and by doing this, we provide support and we don’t stand alone.

Thank-you so much to @netgalley @brilliancepublishing and Frank for an Audio Advanced Readers Copy - I will not be hesitating in adding a copy of this to my personal library and sharing it with those around me.

Judge Frank Caprio, give me strength, give me light, all postive things to me. I am so happy..... Realy happy. His book just arrived today, 8 Feb 2025. So happy. Super thanks to Judge Frank Caprio, for sharing through the book.. Ireally do not know what to say. Until confused how to write what i feel. Just so happy

NOT ME OPENLY CRYING ON THE TRAIN AS I COMMUTE TO WORK. Ugh. Totally took me aback, because I did not expect this going into a biography-type book about a public servant of the government, yet here we are. I've seen clips of Frank Caprio, former judge who just retired in 2023, floating around on social media, and it struck me just how profundly empathetic and compassionate someone "in the establishment" could be, and it was a nice dose of feel-good. Judge Caprio's book reminds me that there are indeed, good humans in the world, and it inspires me to remind myself of shifting my perspective from the self level further out into a communal level.
His stories moved me more than reading Barack Obama's biography, even though Judge Carpio's domain of power, as a judge in a municipal court, was not as nearly as expansive as the former president's once was--maybe it was because of the depth of intimacy he was able to tap in on in hearing cases, even though Judge Caprio did not see most of these defendants again after they left his court.
I loved how grateful he is to be an American, even as the son of a poor immigrant Italian family, and how he turned his discriminatory experiences growing up into a force for good rather than easily curling inward towards the dark side. If you were to have asked me how I thought the law should be applied, I would have said that ofc in theory it should all be applied equally for everyone, very black and white. However I glad to say that Judge Caprio's book lead me to pause and think deeper--what is the point of justice? Is to foster a functioning society? Mete out punishment for evil deeds? He's lead me to think that there is reason to take in the context of the circumstance and that there are instances in which one should apply leniency vs. maximum punishment.
Anyways, I think we could all use a reminder of being more compassionate to others and feel good doing so.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Judge Frank Caprio has had an amazing life. I really enjoyed hearing the story of how he grew up, how he put himself through law school by teaching, and ultimately becoming a judge known for kindness and compassion on the bench.

Many of the chapters in this book are vignettes of stories of people who appeared before him in Rhode Island traffic court. He established, with donations, a fund named after his mother, to help people pay their fines. He listened to what each person who appeared before him and explained why they received their citations. He applies justice with an eye toward fairness and equity, something you rarely see in courtrooms today.

This book is a perfect example of the justice system being just and taking people's circumstances into consideration. I thoroughly enjoyed his story.

I have loved seeing clips online of Frank so I was very excited to see his journey and stories of the courtroom.

I really enjoyed this. The love and compassion of Judge Frank Capiro is something that I wish everyone had a little piece of in them.
The logic and just the simplicity of taking a step back from
situations and assessing what others are going through really helps people to slow down and be an actual human being that treats others like human beings too. It reminds me of the scene in Ted Lasso ‘Be curious, not judgemental’.

There were many moments in this that resonated with me and made me think twice about situations. The love he has for his family is incredible.


A great read.

“Under my robe I have a heart, not a badge.”

For years as I scroll social media, I would never skip a Judge Caprio video, so I was very excited to see he had written a book. And the book did not disappoint! In the videos we got to see Judge Caprio’s kindness and compassion within the courtroom, but the book let us learn more about his background, childhood, and family of immigrants. I enjoyed getting snapshots into what made him into the kind man I’ve watched on social media. In the book he does a great job of telling stories from his childhood (so we get to learn about those who shaped him) as well as tell some very interesting stories from off the bench times in his adult lifetime. He also shares some of his favorite stories from within the courtroom. His whole philosophy is doing good for others can be a chain reaction, and I think our country can really use this spirit and mentality right now.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook Compassion in the Court. I was familiar with Judge Frank Caprio’s kindness, compassion, and empathy thanks to social media posts from his courtroom. His memoir is an inspirational look at his Italian-American immigrant parents and community and how they shaped him as a man. Judge Caprico is so full of empathy and it really shows through his memoir. I would highly recommend this to individuals that come from large Italian-American families. 3.5 rounded to 4 (my only complaint is I wish Judge Caprio read the audiobook himself! The narrator was fantastic but I prefer listening to memoirs where the author reads their story).

4.5 stars rounded up

Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America's Nicest Judge by Frank Caprio was exactly the memoir I was hoping to read. It was equal parts honest, emotional, and inspiring. It will be published on February 4, 2025 and I recommend it to anyone who, like me, is fascinated by the legal system and wants to know more about this funny, empathetic, and compassionate judge.

Judge Caprio details his childhood as the son of hardworking immigrant parents. He describes pivotal moments in his life where the things that people told him, both positive and negative, went on to shape his worldview and his philosophy as a judge.

In addition to his personal reflections, where this memoir shines most is when he describes the stories of the people he encountered in his courtroom. This is where the compassion and care came through most. I found myself tearing up several times while listening, but I could have listened to many more of those stories.

The audiobook was engagingly narrated by Rob Reider. I would enjoy more stories from Judge Caprio if he were to write more.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

what a lovely book. it was nice seeing where he came from and more about the human we've all come to love. i recommend this book. it made me think about my own ways.