Parking tickets can come with an expensive fine. However, it is one of those things people usually forget to pay. Before you know it, your fine is adding up and you have the law tracking you down for your unpaid tickets.
Source: World Lifestyle
This mother had a parking ticket that increased to a total charge that she could not afford. The judge presiding over her hearing was not sympathetic. Then, her daughter said two words that shocked the entire courtroom.
Busy mom
Maranda Kent was in a rush the moment she woke up. She had a busy day ahead of her and she had overslept. While rushing to make breakfast for the family, her 4-year-old could not stop crying. She has not stepped out of the house yet and she already felt tired.
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As the family ate, Maranda went over her errands. Her eight-year-old daughter was attending a classmate’s birthday party across town. She knows how important it was for her daughter to attend so Maranda made sure she would drive her there in time.
Endless errands
Since the birthday party was across town, Maranda decided to take her daughters with her as she ran errands. Her tasks seem to never end as she remembered last-minute errands that needed to be done.
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And running all these chores with her two kids in tow was not easy. When it was time to go to the birthday party, she was really exhausted and spent out. It was one of those days when she needed an extra push to carry on.
An unfamiliar neighborhood
Maranda checked the address in the birthday invitation to make sure that she will be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, she has never been in this neighborhood before.
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Maranda hoped that she would not get lost as she drove around. Her daughter would be cranky if she missed out on anything at the party. And Maranda would not want her to throw a tantrum in another person’s house.
No parking space
Maranda felt relieved when they entered the neighborhood because she did not have trouble finding the address. The house had bright balloons attached to their mailbox, indicating that a party was being held there.
Source: World Lifestyle
However, there was not a parking space in sight. The street was busier than usual – probably because of the party. Every open parking space that she knew of was already taken. Maranda circled the block for about 10 minutes until she saw one available – but it was a terrible choice.
Hoping nobody notices
You see, the spot was on the sidewalk. Maranda saw another parking spot during her rounds but it was 20 minutes away from the birthday party. She knew she had no choice. She had to park in the prohibited area.
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Maranda just said a silent prayer hoping that nobody would object to her parking there while she and her daughter were at the birthday party. When the cake and games are over, Maranda and her daughter walked back to the car.
A risky decision
Under her windshield wiper was a yellow paper. Maranda knew it was a parking ticket. Maranda took it and almost fainted when she saw the fine. It was $100! Maranda could not afford to shell out this amount and provide for her family at the same time.
Source: World Lifestyle
It was too much for someone with a small income like her. So, Maranda decided to make a risky choice not knowing that this could make her situation worse. She decided not to pay for the ticket.
Going to court
But Maranda did not know that if she missed the deadline for the fine, there would be a penalty – the fine will continue to increase until she pays. The $100 fine quickly turned into $300. When she was made aware of this, Maranda knew that she had no choice but to go to court.
Source: World Lifestyle
The only available slot was at 8 in the morning so she had no choice but to bring her children along with her. When the big day came, Maranda and the kids woke up early and headed to the courthouse. Maranda made sure that they would not be late.
Regretting her decision
There were a couple of other people who would be pleading their cases with her in that time slot. Maranda tried to listen patiently but her daughters were restless and distracting. One could not sit still while the other looked terrified.
Source: World Lifestyle
Maranda had to bargain with them to sit still and keep quiet for a few minutes. She started to question her decision to bring the girls along with her. Maybe she should have just hired a babysitter but with a $300 fine in question, she knew she could not afford one.
The judge was stoic
As Maranda observed the judge, she thought that he was a fair and just man. She crossed her fingers and hoped that he would find some sympathy in her case and cut her some slack. But he had grown exasperated by one case and Maranda feared that this had ruined his mood and would affect her case.
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When it was Maranda’s turn, the now stoic-looking judge said “Ms. Kent, I see here you’re here because of a parking violation?” he asked in a stern voice. Maranda immediately felt embarrassed and nodded yes.
The judge involves her daughters
Maranda cleared her voice and explained her circumstances. She spoke about how she was not earning enough and that she could not afford the $100 parking fine. The judge looked like she was listening to her intently but she could not determine if he was being sympathetic.
Source: World Lifestyle
The judge suddenly interrupted her to ask “Those are your daughters?” Maranda looked at him confused and nodded. The judge then asked the oldest to approach the bench. Maranda got more confused. Why on earth should her daughter be involved in all this?
Should your mother pay?
Maranda signaled to her eldest to come over and the eight-year-old walked up to the judge’s desk with apprehensive steps. The judge smiled at her and asked “So, what do you think we should do about your mother? She broke the law. Should she pay?”
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The young girl looked confused. To make her more comfortable, the judge asked her trivial questions like her favorite subjects, what she wanted to be when she grew up, and so on. Maranda felt nervous as to where this could lead.
Giving her the choice
When the young girl seemed to warm up to him, he asked her “Well, how about we give you four choices. First, she could pay the full $300. Second, she could pay the original $100. Third, we could bump it down to $50. Or, we could reduce it to zero. What do you think?”
Source: World Lifestyle
The daughter answered “$50” and the whole courtroom laughed in amusement. But then the daughter did something unconsciously. The judge noticed this and asked what was wrong. The girl then muttered two words that silenced the courtroom.
Something was wrong
You see, the little girl reached down to hold her tummy. When asked what was wrong, she said “I’m hungry.” The judge asked her why she was hungry and the girl said that they had no time to eat breakfast because they had to leave early for court.
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To Maranda’s surprise, the judge said “Well, how about instead of the $50, she takes you girl’s out for breakfast? Hmm? Which would you like?” The young girl’s eyes immediately widened and claimed “Breakfast!” with no hesitation.
Her parking ticket fine
Another wave of amused laughter filled the courtroom. The judge was also smiling and it seemed that he was now in a better mood. “Okay, breakfast it is.” and turned to Maranda to tell her that her fine is to buy her daughters a good and big breakfast.
Source: World Lifestyle
Maranda felt a huge weight on her shoulders. She had no idea that morning that her daughter would play a big role in her hearing. And Maranda knew just where she should take her girls. There was a 1950s-themed dinner in town that served breakfast all day and their serving portions are gigantic.
An unexpected punishment
So, Maranda took her kids to the diner. As she sipped at her steaming cup of coffee, she watched in satisfaction as her daughters devoured their pancakes like it was the best thing they have ever eaten. The bill for their breakfast was just under $35 – a manageable amount for her “parking ticket fine.”
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Maranda could not stop smiling. She could not believe her luck. The judge was a good man who understood her struggle. He gave her a generous and reasonable “fine” that made her get to spend a wonderful meal with her daughters.
A famous judge
The judge in question is none other than the well-beloved Judge Frank Caprio, who is currently serving as the chief municipal judge in the Municipal Court of Providence, Rhode Island.
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People know him from the television shows Caught in Providence and Parking Wars. He started getting the media’s attention when in 2017, videos of his courtroom sessions went viral.
Serving justice in his own way
Judge Caprio has made quite a name for himself. Aside from the many years of service, he is known for the strange way he precedes his court hearings. He is known to be very unpredictable and often obsesses over every little detail of a case.
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Aside from having a soft spot for those who deserve it, Judge Caprio is also known for being stern and tough on criminals. You can’t just drag along your kid in court and think you will get a free pass.
A righteous man
This judge has a lot of credentials to his name so you definitely can be assured that he knows what he is doing. There is no denying that the law can be harsh for the less fortunate sometimes and he understood that.
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You might think this judge is twisting the law but his unconventional way of dealing with things is exactly why people love him. It is his most endearing trait. He serves justice with compassion.
Seeing him in action
If you want to see Judge Caprio in action, all you have to do is tune in to Caught in Providence. The show features real people who have real cases in the Providence Municipal Court.
Source: TV Guide
The cases covered vary from traffic violations to criminal offenses. Every episode is captured live from the courtroom and there have been several touching stories that will warm up your heart. It is no wonder that this judge has gone viral!