Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s litigation saga is far from over, as today a new development clearly hints at their legal team’s intentions.
Attorneys for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were unable to reach a last-minute agreement today, paving the way for a potentially lengthy appeals process.
Judge Penney Azcarate of Fairfax County, Virginia, finalized judgment in the former couple’s libel trial during Friday’s hearing, when Depp and Heard were absent.
After Depp’s resounding court victory on June 1, Judge Azcarate did not immediately enter the jury verdict on the record, but allowed Depp and Heard to reach a settlement before June 24, which she would then file in lieu of the verdict.
They didn’t come to an agreement today, however, and a spokesman for Heard, 36, signaled they did Aquaman The actress wanted to appeal.
“You don’t ask for forgiveness when you’re innocent. And you do not refuse to appeal when you know you are right,” a spokesman for Heard said in a statement.
After 21 days, the case will be referred to the Virginia Court of Appeals, and then the parties will have 30 days to file an appeal.
Earlier this month, Depp’s attorney, Benjamin Chew, hinted during an interview Good morning America that the Pirates of the Caribbean Star would be willing to forego his ex-wife paying him millions in damages if she agrees not to appeal.
“We obviously can’t disclose attorney-client communications, but as Mr. Depp testified … Mr. Depp was never about money,” Chew told George Stephanopoulos when asked about Heard’s fear of remaining penniless.
“This was about restoring his reputation – and he did that,” added Chew.
According to the sentencing order, which was filed Friday afternoon, Depp and Heard are required to release their judgments of $2 million and $10.35 million, respectively, plus 6 percent interest per annum.
A source familiar with the procedure tells The post that the judge entered Depp’s version of the verdict on paper in its entirety and rejected all of Heard’s proposed amendments, and that Depp’s legal team did not seek an injunction against his ex-wife.
According to the source, the court also ruled that if Heard did appeal, she would have to post bail equal to the entire judgment plus $480,000 in interest payments.
On June 1, a Virginia jury awarded Depp $15 million in damages — reduced to $10.35 million due to statutory caps — after finding Heard killed him in her 2018 had portrayed “with malice” as an abuser Washington Post op-ed, hurting his reputation and career in the process.
While the jury agreed in all of Depp’s three defamation claims, they also found that the actor’s former attorney had defamed Heard in one count and awarded her $2 million in damages as part of her counterclaim.
Elaine Bredehoft, one of Heard’s attorneys, told NBC today that theAquaman Star couldn’t afford the $8.35 million she owed Depp.
sources told The post As of early June, Heard is “broke” due to massive legal fees related to the six-week trial.
When asked if the actress had the means to cover the jury’s verdict, Bredehoft said, “Oh no, absolutely not.”
This story originally appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission
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