Amber Heard files a formal appeal against the final verdict in the Depp-Heard case

Just a month ago Johnny Depp (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) formally appealed the final verdict of the high-profile defamation trial between himself and Amber Heard (“Aquaman”). The outcome of the case states that the plaintiff must pay the plaintiff $2 million in damages and prejudices and that Heard must pay her ex-husband 10 million in compensatory damages and 5 in punitive damages.

This time it was the actress who legally ruled on the final verdict through a formal appeal in the Virginia courts with the aim of having said verdict reversed.

In the document filed by Heard’s lawyers on Nov. 23, information about which was collected by Deadline, the following is argued in favor of the actress: “The court wrongly refused to dismiss this action based on forum non conveniens (when a court recognizes that another forum or court is a more appropriate venue for a lawsuit and the case is transferred to that forum) based on his incorrect conclusion that Depp’s claims arose in Virginia because the Washington Post’s servers are located there. The court also erred in overturning Heard’s objection in holding that the statements brought to trial are unchallengeable expressions of opinion and are not reasonably capable of conveying the alleged defamatory implication.” The document goes on to explain that maintaining this disability is what lawyers call it “unchallengeable expressions of opinion” will have “chilling effects” in other women who want to talk about the abuse they suffer “mighty men”

The formal appeal requests that, barring probative evidence in his favor and deeming it irrelevant and prejudicial, the final verdict in which Heard must pay more than $10 million be overturned or reversed in a new trial. The brief from Heard’s attorneys goes on to say: “This case also should not have gone to trial. because another court had already concluded that Depp had abused Heard on multiple occasions. After Depp brought this case, the High Court of Justice of the United Kingdom ruled in a separate libel action brought by Depp. that Heard’s abuse allegations were true”.

Depp’s appeal

In early November, Depp filed his formal appeal, arguing that the actor would not have to pay the $2 million listed at the end of the case. Now that both interpreters have filed their respective appeals, a jury will have to study them and decide the verdict of both. Depending on the outcome and Depp and Heard’s disagreement, the case could go to the Judiciary Committee of the Privy Council. If that were the case, it would not be strange if the trial took several years to finally close.