Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard Trial: Judge Finalizes Verdict and It Will Cost Actress to Appeal
The judge in Johnny Depp's defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, has made the verdict official. Judge Penney Azcarate entered the verdict into the docket at a hearing in Fairfax County, Virginia after the two sides failed to reach a settlement before Friday's deadline.
Neither the Pirates of the Caribbean star nor the Aquaman actress were in court Friday, but their lawyers were present for the hearing that lasted about 30 minutes. The hearing officially sealed the June 1 verdict the jury reached earlier this month after 14 hours of deliberations that gave Depp a sweeping victory.
Depp, of course, was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages following the six-week trial. The punitive damages, however, were reduced to $350,000 in accordance with the state's statutory cap.
Heard, for her part, was awarded $2 million by the jury in compensatory damages for her counterclaim but nothing in punitive damages. The jury found Depp liable after his attorney referred to Heard's claims as a "hoax."
Heard has 30 days to file an appeal, and she has indicated she will do so. A spokesperson for the actress tells ET, "As stated in yesterday's congressional hearings, you don't ask for a pardon if you are innocent. And, you don't decline to appeal if you know you are right."
How Johnny Depp Was Able to Win Trial in US After Losing Similar Case in UK
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How Johnny Depp Was Able to Win Trial in US After Losing Similar Case in UK
That being said, filing an appeal could prove costly for Heard, according to legal expert Julie Rendelman, who explained that in order for Heard to appeal "she must post the judgment that she was found against her by the jury, which is $10 million." Furthermore, Rendelman says that in addition Heard "has to post six percent of that judgment each year in order to go forward with that appeal."
This could present Heard with a significant challenge, considering Heard's lawyer, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, told The Today Show that Heard is "absolutely not" able to pay Depp those damages. What's more, a source told ET that Heard was "not in a good place and is worried in general and financially speaking."
Heard stands by her allegations and doesn't blame the jury following the legal setback. She also said she has no "ill will" towards Depp. In fact, she said she still loves him.
For his part, Depp will return to court next month for a separate case. His famed attorney, Camille Vasquez, will represent him in an assault case stemming from a 2018 lawsuit filed by a location manager who worked on Depp's crime-drama film, City of Lies.
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