Dr. Polo

On more than one occasion, she has expressed her condemnation of issues such as sexism, domestic violence, and injustice, especially when they affect people of low socioeconomic status or those discriminated against in any way. Furthermore, she is a breast cancer survivor, which is why she became a spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and conducts awareness campaigns throughout Latin America and the United States regarding this health condition. She has also expressed her support for same-sex marriage.

He has confessed that he has not returned to Cuba for two main reasons, one of them being the sacrifice his parents made by leaving everything behind for political ideas and for their disagreement with the government of Fidel and Raúl Castro.

She was born on April 11, 1959, in Havana. Her parents are Joaquín Polo and Delia González. At the age of two, she emigrated with her family to Puerto Rico, where she studied at the Academia del Perpetuo Socorro. She was part of the choir for the musical Jubilee, which was invited by Pope Paul VI to sing in St. Peter's Basilica as part of the Holy Year celebrations of 1975. After finishing her studies in Puerto Rico and reaching adulthood, she settled in Miami.

In Miami, she met her first husband, whom she married at the age of nineteen. She soon became pregnant, but at four months, the couple lost the baby and separated some time later. She had a foster son, Peter, and Lily Polo, and remarried in 2001. Years later, Lily gave her a granddaughter. She studied at Florida International University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science (1979-1983). She then studied and earned a law degree from the University of Miami (1983-1987). She acted in the film Y Tu Mamá También, alongside Diego Luna, in a small role.

As a lawyer, she specialized in family law and is licensed to practice in the state of Florida. In what she describes as her most harrowing experience as an arbitrator, she witnessed the murder of a woman by her ex-husband, shortly after she had finalized their divorce. Polo was unharmed by the killer, but she always expressed her grief over what had happened.

Plaintiff: This person files a lawsuit. They must identify and explain who they are suing, why they are suing, and what they require to resolve the issue. The plaintiff can prove their case with testimony and evidence (photos, videos, documents, etc.). Defendant: This person responds to the plaintiff and may file a counterclaim. The defendant can prove the plaintiff is wrong and/or prove they are right through credible testimony and evidence (photos, videos, documents, etc.). Witnesses: There are different types of witnesses, including: Plaintiff's witnesses: These are people brought by the plaintiff who support him through testimonies and/or evidence (photos, videos, papers, etc.). Witnesses for the defendant: These are people brought by the defendant who support him through testimonies and/or evidence (photos, videos, documents, etc.). Production witnesses or volunteers: These are people who go on the program, external to the plaintiff or the defendant, and who may or may not support either of the litigants. Experts: These are professionals who contribute their knowledge to the case, helping to understand what is happening and enabling a fair final decision. They come from all fields, but the most common are psychologists, doctors, detectives, and lawyers. Guests: These are professionals who explain the case in detail.

In Caso Cerrado, Dr. Ana María Polo presents several cases (up to three per episode) between litigants, who have conflicts of all kinds, which she attempts to resolve as an arbitrator. Before participating in the program, the litigants must sign an arbitration agreement that legally binds them to respect Dr. Polo's decisions. The litigants must provide credible testimony and can present evidence (such as videos, photos, audio recordings, texts, etc.) to support their respective positions and/or witnesses who can corroborate their statements. Experts in various fields (such as psychologists, doctors, and police officers) also typically participate, offering professional insights into the litigants' problems. Following this, Dr. Polo must make a fair decision based on all the evidence and testimonies. She can grant the claim (giving the plaintiff a victory); deny the claim (favoring the defendant); or partially grant the claim (according to the criteria established by the judge). Alternatively, the case may be dismissed in situations where the litigants are unwilling to cooperate or there is insufficient evidence to reach a fair verdict; or, failing that, the claims may be denied to the litigants (failing to sue and countersue the wrong person, failing to take responsibility for their actions, learning from their mistakes). Dr. Polo begins each case by quoting a phrase from a renowned philosopher, scientist, singer, thinker, etc., that aligns with the story being discussed, and ends the program, after the last case, with a quote from civil rights activist Malcolm X: "Be courteous, walk carefully, educate yourself as much as you can, respect others so that you will be respected, and may God protect us."

The program originated in 2001 as Sala de Parejas (Couples' Court), initially created to resolve marital problems between litigants, though it later expanded to include anyone with legal disputes. Therefore, in 2005, its name was changed to reflect the final phrase spoken when a case is decided. From its inception as Sala de Parejas until 2005 as Caso Cerrado (Case Closed), the program was produced by Promofilm in the United States; since September 2006, it has been produced entirely by Telemundo. The program is rated TV-14 in the United States due to its violent, sexual, and strong language content.

In 2010, Caso Cerrado was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of "Outstanding Legal/Conflict Resolution Program".[2] This nomination was the first ever received by a television program on a Spanish-language network in the United States.[3]

The program ended on December 10, 2019 when the last episode was recorded,[4] due to the termination of Ana María Polo's contract with Telemundo and Polo's unwillingness not to extend the contract.[5]

On May 5, 2022, an alliance between MGE Network and Cinemat was announced for the production of a new season with Ana María Polo, which will be shown on Telemundo.