Johnny Depp, Amber Heard Defamation Case Isn't Over yet as She Officially Files to Appeal Verdict | Actor Reacts
Amber Heard has officially filed a motion to appeal the jury verdict ordering her to pay her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, $10.35 million in damages in his defamation case against her.
On Thursday, News.com.au reported that lawyers for the actress filed the three-page "notice of intent to appeal" in Fairfax County, Virginia, where the defamation trial was heard. However, the documents did not lay out the grounds for the appeal.
A spokesperson for Heard told Yahoo Entertainment that they were appealing the verdict because they believe the court made errors that "prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the First Amendment."
The spokesperson further noted that although they know their move "will ignite the Twitter bonfires," they need to do this "to ensure both fairness and justice."
According to reports, Amber Heard's camp has until September 4 to file the appeal motion laying out their arguments.
Johnny Depp Reacts to Amber Heard's Appeal in Court
Johnny Depp's team does not seem worried that the verdict will not be overturned. In a statement, the actor's camp said they remained "confident" that their case's verdict will stand.
"The jury listened to the extensive evidence presented during the six-week trial and came to a clear and unanimous verdict that the defendant herself defamed Mr. Depp in multiple instances," a spokesperson for Depp said.
Last week, Judge Penney Azcarate denied Heard's bid for a new trial on multiple grounds, including the apparent case of mistaken identity with Juror 15. The judge noted that there was no evidence of "fraud or wrongdoing."
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Defamation Case
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have battled over a 2018 op-ed the actress wrote for the Washington Post, calling herself a domestic violence survivor.
The piece did not mention Depp by name, but the actor claimed he was booted from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise due to the "clear implication" that he was the abuser in his ex-wife's op-ed.
Johnny Depp also alleged that Amber Heard was the actual "perpetrator" of the violent encounters that damaged their relationship. He asked for $50 million in damages. The actress countersued for $100 million for nuisance.
On June 1, a Virginia court ruled that Heard must pay her ex-husband $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages.
And with Depp's lawyer referring to Heards' claims as a "hoax," the actress was awarded $2 million by the jury in compensatory damages for her counterclaim but nothing in punitive damages.
Last month, Azcarate told the actress' legal team that she must pay the $8.35 million judgment with 6 percent annual interest for an appeal to formally move forward. Heard has not yet paid the sum.
The actress' lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, earlier said her client does not have the money. Reports said Amber Heard only had to pay $500 to start the process. It was still unclear how she will pay the rest.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Joshua Summers
WATCH: Amber Heard Files Notice Of Appeal, Citing Unfair Verdict In Johnny Depp Defamation Case - From Law&Crime Network