‘Caught In Providence’ Court Show Picked Up By Fox Stations For Fall 2018

Caught in Providence, a court show featuring social media phenom Judge Frank Caprio, has been picked up by the Fox Television Stations for a fall 2018 national launch. The first-run series, co-produced by Debmar-Mercury and Citylife Productions, will air on Fox O&Os in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Orlando, Minneapolis and Charlotte, NC.

Caprio’s long-standing reputation on the bench as a kind and respectful jurist who tempers the letter of law with compassion and humor has turned him into a viral sensation. According to the Caught in Providence website, Caprio’s brother Joseph Caprio started filming the court cases more than 20 years ago. The show first aired on Providence local access, then was picked up by ABC6-WLNE.

Caprio only recently garnered national attention when videos from the show were posted online and went viral. Clips from his courtroom have amassed more than 1 billion views in the past two years, aggregated by Citylife’s Sociable platform (you can watch one below).

The syndicated series will feature fresh episodes of real-life cases directly from Caprio’s Providence, RI, courtroom.

Frank Cicha, SVP Programming for the Fox Television Stations, said, “If there’s one thing the Fox TV Stations and Debmar-Mercury have always agreed upon, it’s that the last thing syndication needs is another court show. So, here comes one. This show is different, though. It’s a completely fresh approach. Just goes to show, never say ‘never!’ “

Judge Caprio’s interactions with an assortment of defendants trying to talk their way out of traffic and parking citations, among other minor criminal offenses, have earned him online accolades and a huge following.

“We love Judge Caprio’s heartfelt take on justice and think Caught in Providence will truly stand out from every other show on daytime television,” said Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein, co-presidents of Lionsgate-owned Debmar-Mercury. “In these contentious times, many viewers are simply looking for something lighthearted and fun. Caught in Providence has proven to be exactly that, and has an unprecedented social media following to prove it.”

Viewers will see cases in which the judge takes to heart advice about how he should rule from the kids of the defendants, as well as a fair share of antics ranging from handstands to explanations about hibernating squirrels.

“We are proud to work with Debmar-Mercury to showcase the wonderful people of the City of Providence, RI, and their experiences in America’s most interesting courtroom,” said Citylife Productions owner Joseph Caprio. “We will keep it real by continuing to film the actual cases and litigants in the Providence Municipal Court.”