Actor Johnny Depp scored a big win against Amber heard on Tuesday, Aug. 17, as the Virginia judge ruled out not to dismiss a defamation lawsuit against the Aquaman actress. 

The decision was made by Fairfax County Chief Judge Penney Azcarte, making Johnny Depp's Case proceed to trial by next year.

"Mr. Depp is most gratified by the Court's decision," Benjamin Chew from Brown Rudnick in Washington D.C. said. Chew is Depp's lawyer.

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Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard: Defamation Case Continues

The decision of Judge Azacarte stemmed out when Depp's ex-wife, Amber Heard tried the said lawsuit in Virginia to be thrown out, referencing a ruling in London judge in the previous year. The Aquaman actress argued that the court in Virginia should recognize the judgment made in the United Kingdom.

In previous reports, Depp filed a lawsuit against the publisher, The Sun (in the United Kingdom), for an article in 2018, labeling him as a "wife-beater." The actor lost the lawsuit as a judge from London determined that "wife beater" was not libelous against the actor, arguing that Heard's claims of domestic abuse "could be proved legal standard."

Despite Heard's bid to urge the Virginia Court to recognize the verdict made in the United Kingdom, Fairfax Judge Azcarte was not convinced, contending that the motion filed by the actress lacks "privity."

Azcarte underscored that the interests of the publisher and Heard were not identical. Furthermore, the judge also highlighted that Heard was not a party in the U.K. case and was not subject to the same "discovery rules."

Moreover, the judge pointed out that Heard could not be named a defendant in the U.K. because his defamatory statement was made following the commencement of the U.K. action.

"If anything, upholding English libel judgments in the United States would create the chilling effect and create a dangerous precedent," Judge Azcarte noted, adding that the Virginia court was unpersuaded by the argument served by the actress.

Johnny Depp's defamation case was scheduled to take place on April 11, 2022, in Fairfax County. USA Today reported that both sides, including Amber heard, would resume discovery proceedings such as taking a deposition.

Johnny Depp Comments on "Hollywood Boycott"

The decision on Johnny Depp's defamation case against Amber Heard, came two days after the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor commented on Hollywood boycotting him following his loss in his U.K. lawsuit.

Johnny Depp shared in an interview on Aug. 14, that he was asked to leave some of the movies he was supposed to work with, such as Fantastic Beasts where Mads Mikkelsen replaced him to play the role of Grindelwald in the franchise. Furthermore, his new film entitled Minamata will not be released in the United States.

Depp shared that his fall from grace was a result of the "absurdity of media mathematics."

"Whatever I've gone through, I've gone through... But ultimately, this particular arena of my life has been so absurd," Johnny Depp said in an interview.

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Written By: Joshua Summers

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