Judge Takes Pity On Young Single Mom Who Racked Up Multiple Parking Tickets While Unemployed
Sympathy goes a long way in the justice system.
TikTok If you're familiar with "Caught In Providence," a television show that takes an inside look into court cases — typically involving traffic and parking violations — you'll know that Chief Municipal Court Judge Frank Caprio is a rare glimmer of kindness in what can often be a harsh system.
Known for his humor and compassion, Caprio makes sure each person that stands in his court room has a fair shot.
In one of many viral moments from the show, Caprio
The show focuses on Frank Caprio and his work as Chief Municipal Court Judge was able to show some empathy for a young mother who stood before him.
Judge Frank Caprio went easy on the single mother with multiple parking tickets.
A clip from the show sees a young woman named Camila hunched over with her arms tucked close to her body as she nervously steps forward to have her case heard.
"What, are you cold?" Caprio asks. "I see you doing this," scrunching his shoulders together to replicate her gesture.
She explained that she was nervous, that “This is my first time here. I get nervous when it comes to like...”
Realizing that this was her first time in court, Judge Caprio went on to make some small talk and asked Camilla how she was doing that day.
After the pleasantries, he started to address her tickets.
"I think today is overnight parking day, inspector Quinn," he says to the inspector standing to the right of the judge's bench. "Camilla has four overnight parking tickets all at the same location. So, what do you want to tell me about these today?"
Camilla wanted to know if she could pay her fine in October when she started her new job.
She expressed that her car was going to get registered in November, which was the reason why she couldn’t get a permit sticker.
“What do you do for work? Are you working?” Judge Frank asked.
She explains that she isn't currently working, but plans on working at Santander Bank once October hits, adding that her last job was in sales at Walmart.
Inferring about her next position, Judge Caprio asks “You’re going to be what? You’re going to be chief operating officer? What are you gonna do?”
Camilla smiled, then responded that she would be in customer service taking phone calls.
"See, she’s a good person. All of a sudden we get her to smile inspector Quinn," Judge Caprio says to the man on his right.
"Tell her to smile a little, and give me the keys to the vault," Quinn jokingly replies. "Let’s work on that one."
Judge Frank Caprio was learning more and more about Camilla's case.
“All right”, said Judge Caprio, “these overnight parking tickets, is this because you did not have a parking spot?”
Camilla nods her head "yes," explaining that because the area she lives in is very full, she has to park outside along the streets.
When she gets her car registered, she plans on getting a permit so she can park without having to pay fines or get in trouble.
"The fines are 200 bucks now because they all tripled and… I’m [going to] fine you 20 dollars," Judge Caprio says. "I’m gonna fine you for one of these tickets, and I’m gonna give you all the time you need to pay it."
Concerned about the young lady's financial or family situation, he asks her who she's living with, to which she replies it's just her and her 10-month-old daughter.
“10 months! It’s just you and she?” Judge Caprio repeated, incredulous.
He explained to her that he couldn’t let her pay $20 because that could be money that she needs to buy food for her baby.
“So I’m not gonna do that. We have to take the baby into consideration, inspector Quinn. Right now, she’s between a rock and a hard place. She wants to buy the parking pass, and she can’t because the registry isn’t accommodating those right now.”
“She’s looking to do that, and she doesn’t have a job, but she’s got a little baby.”
Judge Frank let out a big sigh at the end of his spiel, showing off his empathy towards her situation.
“So, what is it, you’re completely broke? You have nothing?” he asks her, and she replies that she is.
With a plan brewing in his head, he asks Camila what her main challenge in life is, and that's taking care of the baby, so he offers to help.
“Okay, there are an awful lot of generous people in this country and we are on social media and we are on television, and people throughout the world see what happens in this courtroom,” Judge Caprio says.
“They send in contributions voluntarily and asked me to give them toward people who I think are worthy and you certainly are.”
Judge Caprio uses $25 from a man from Florida in order to pay off her ticket, and gives her an extra $50 to walk away with.
He tells her to put the money toward taking care of her baby, to which she claims that she will and begins to cry, emotional at the fact that she's receiving this kindness.
"Anything you want to say to the person that sent in that money?” Caprio asks.
"I want to say thank you so much and I really do appreciate it, and I wanna do what he does," she replies. "Sending in money to help other people when I get the chance."
But then the Judge said something that surprised Camilla.
“I’m so happy you said that because I was just about to say there’s a condition attached to this. I know someday, things are gonna be really good for you. You have to give back and help somebody else, which I know you’re gonna do. So that’s your part of the deal,” he says.
“Take care of that little baby, and help somebody else out when you get the chance. Good luck.”
Taylor Haynes is a writer based in Chicago. She covers entertainment, news and human interest stories at YourTango. You can find her on Instagram here.