Although Johnny Depp‘s multimillion-dollar defamation claim against Aquaman actress Amber Heard has been settled, the case may not be closed if Heard can afford to post a substantial bond.
Final judgment in the high-profile civil trial that finished on June 1 was presented and placed into the docket at a brief hearing on Friday morning in Judge Penney Azcarate’s Fairfax, VA courtroom. Elaine Bredehoft, Heard’s primary attorney, engaged Azcarate in a tense back-and-forth about the details of a potential appeal for her client.
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Judge Penney Azcarate Puts A Condition In case Amber Wants To Appeal
Amber Heard isn’t going down without a fight just yet, though. Heard and Johnny Depp’s legal teams met with Judge Penney Azcarate on June 24 in Fairfax, Virginia. Rather than agreeing to a settlement, Heard’s lawyers claimed the actor plans to challenge the verdict in the six-week defamation trial through the courts of law.
When Bredehoft asked Azcarate if she could appeal the jury’s decision, she informed her that she’d have to submit papers with the court. For any formal appeal to move forward, Azcarate also reminded Heard’s counsel that the Aquaman actor must put up “an $8.35 million bond with a 6% annual interest rate.”
“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,” stated the spokesperson of heard.
Depp Gets $10.35 Million And Heard Will Receive $2 Million
The jury in Depp’s $50 million defamation case awarded him $15 million in damages at the beginning of this month. In compliance with Virginia’s punitive damages rules, Azcarate quickly lowered that award to $10.35 million. After finding in favor of Heard on June 1, a jury also awarded $2 million to his ex-wife and Rum Diary co-star from his $100 million countersuits.
Depp and Heard did not appear in court today despite being there for the whole six-week trial. Afterward, Heard characterized himself as “heartbroken.” Depp was unable to attend the verdict since he was on tour with Jeff Beck in the UK at the time.
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