He Dicho! 'Caso Cerrado' Is Not (Completely) Scripted

He dicho, caso cerrado! Dra. Ana Maria Polo's signature sign off has become a regular saying in Spanish households thanks to her over-the-top court show, Caso Cerrado. 

Basically the Judge Judy of Miami, the Telemundo series brings some of the craziest court cases before the Dra. Polo — ranging in titles from "My Baby Is Kidnapped in My Sister's Womb" to "Mother-in-law Give Me Back the Leg."

So, it's no surprise that some viewers might think it's not as authentic as it tries to portray.

In an interview with the Sun-Sentinel, Polo got very candid about her court show, and admitted it is geared toward entertainment more than reality, but reassured fans that the participants are real, and not paid actors. 

"The human being must be a little sophisticated in the reality of life. This is television. It is called television and is created for the entertainment and education of the public," she explained. "All the stories are real, I am interested in the reality of the story, not the truth of the participant. I am the measure of the participant. If the participant seems false or I see that he is acting, I eliminate the case. There has to be something genuine about the litigator."

She continued, "Those participants are not actors. They are people who simply have something to tell and that reflect their realities, even if the story is not completely as it happened to them."

Born in Havana, Cuba, Polo moved to Miami at the age of 2 but grew up in Puerto Rico. She graduated from the University of Miami Law School in 1987 and is currently a member of the Florida Bar. 

In 2018, Polo was the recipient of the Positive Impact Award for Latin leaders at Hispanicize 2018 and is also known for her work in the LGBTQ community. 

She got her start on TV in 2001, as the host of "Sala de Parejas," which focused on fighting couples. In 2005, that show became Caso Cerrado, where Polo acts as an arbitrator and not a real judge to solve the problems that come before her. 

Before every episode, the participants must sign a contract where they promise to agree and comply with Polo's ruling. 

According to Variety, Polo is teaming up with Chile’s Forastero, producer of the Golden Globe-nominated film The Maid, to develop a feature film about the show. 

"Throughout all these years I have received several proposals to make a film, however, this creative concept from Forastero captivated me because, more than replicating the Caso Cerrado format, what we will do is to offer the audience a completely different experience than what they are used to see during the television show,” Polo said in a statement. 

Filming will begin in the second half of the year in México, Panamá, and the Caribbean, among other locations. It is set for release in early 2021. 

We already hear the theme song in our heads!