Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Court Battle Far From Over as Actress Files 16-Point Grounds for Appeal in Defamation Case

Amber Heard has outlined several grounds that form the basis of her appeal against the ruling in the defamation case won by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. According to Fox News, the actress and her new legal team filed an appellate brief listing 16 grounds for appeal on Monday.

A Virginia court ruled on June 1 that Heard must pay Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages. Depp and Heard had 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.

Depp also alleged that Heard was the actual "perpetrator" of the violent encounters that damaged their relationship. He asked for $50 million in damages, while the actress countersued for $100 million for nuisance.

Amber Heard lost the defamation case, but the jury awarded the actress $2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim but nothing in punitive damages. Jurors reportedly found that Johnny Depp defamed her through his attorney.

Amber Heard's Lawyers Present Reasons for Appeal to Johnny Depp's Libel Award

According to the court documents obtained by Fox News, the grounds for the actress' appeal include "clear and convincing evidence" for actual malice. It also said the court failed to invalidate the damages it awarded after the jury found that both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamed each other.

The appeal also described the damages as "inherently and irreconcilably inconsistent." According to the Sunday Times, Depp's legal team also confused the court by presenting statements used by their client prior to the 2018 op-ed on the Washington Post.

Heard's lawyers also pointed out several pieces of evidence that "should not have been submitted into court," and argued that there were also pieces of evidence withheld during the trial.

The appeal said: "The trial court erred in allowing Mr. Depp to argue or suggest at trial that the jury could award damages based on statements or conduct occurring prior to the publication of the challenged op-ed."

Heard's camp filed a notice of appeal to overturn the verdict less than a month after the ruling. A spokesperson for Amber Heard earlier said they were appealing the verdict because they believe the court made errors that "prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the First Amendment."

However, Johnny Depp's legal team does not seem worried that the verdict will be overturned. At the actor's recent Washington, D.C. show, his lawyer, Camille Vasquez, told Fox News that they were "really confident in the case we put on, the verdict, and I like our chances on the appeal."

Amber Heard's New Legal Team to be Put to Test With This Appeal

In August, Amber Heard hired a new legal team to represent her in her motion to appeal the court's decision. This time, the "Aquaman" star hired legal firm Ballard Spahr, as her lead appellate counsel.

David L. Axelrod and Jay Ward Brown, who previously defended the New York Times against a defamation lawsuit from former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, will lead her new legal team.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Amber Heard Outlines Appeal Against Johnny Depp Victory - Law&Crime Network