Inspiration

Judge Pays Man's Court Fine After He Walked 5 Miles To Court With Less Than A Dollar To His Name

The judge covered the fine of a man who had only a dollar and walked five miles to reach the courthouse.

Chief Judge Frank Caprio, known for presiding over the TV show Caught in Providence, which features actual people having their cases heard in court, has displayed an act of kindness that will surely remain unforgettable for the man involved.

Despite having only 92 cents in his account and walking for more than 90 minutes to attend the court hearing, the man was not only exempted from the parking violations by Caprio, but the judge also went the extra mile in delivering justice. Take a look:

In the case, the defendant, Daniel Murray, faced a total of seven violations, with five of them being parking tickets.

In total, Murray was confronted with a significant fine of $250 for the charges and tickets, but it was evident that he was unable to raise the money at that time.

After being issued the fines, the driver expressed his gratitude by saying, "Thank you, Your Honor," and inquired about the possibility of some flexibility in repaying the amount.

"One quick question, Your Honor," he began, "is there any way - can that be deferred a little bit?"

Murray went on to reveal: "I'm just in a bit of a financial situation."

When Caprio inquired about the amount Murray could presently contribute towards the penalty, Murray admitted: "I have 92 cents in my account."

"I just walked from East Providence this morning to get over here."

Upon learning about Murray's five-mile journey to reach the Rhode Island courthouse, Caprio enquired whether he could have taken an Uber.

Murray responded by saying, "I have no money. Not right now," and went on to describe his involvement in running youth lacrosse programs.

Subsequently, Caprio decided to lend a helping hand to the man in need by utilizing the Philomena Fund, which is named after his mother.

He dispensed $25 from the fund to Murray, remarking: "I want you to take an Uber so you don't have to walk back."

The driver gratefully accepted the generous gesture, responding: "Thank you very much. You saved me a great deal of time today - and money."

"We're gonna help you out with these fines," the chief judge declared, "we're going to use this fund to pay for your fine, so you're gonna be all set."

Totally speechless, Murray said: "Wow, thank you so much. That's more than generous."

Caprio went on to say: "You got 25 bucks to take an Uber. And you got this now. Let's hope things turn out for you."

Yet, there was a single condition.

The judge explained: "Wait a minute. That's only half the battle. Right."

"That's our part, you have to do your part."

He continued: "You have to help somebody else. There are an awful lot of people out there who have similar problems and you are going to be in a situation to help them."

"Don't forget them. Remember how you felt? So you have to give back."

The video was subsequently posted on Facebook, where viewers eagerly expressed their reactions to the touching act of kindness.

One Facebook user posted: "This judge is so impressive!"

"He's just a fantastic judge full of compassion," echoed a second.

A third added: "This program has help me see there is a lotta good left in the world."

There certainly is.