Earlier this year, the legal challenges between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard saw the lion's shared of the verdict of the Heard/Depp defamation case go against the Aquaman 2 actress. After the actress was asked to pay millions during that day in court, the Aquaman star filed an appeal to overturn that ruling. Now, some months after the initial ruling was made, she has announced she has decided to settle the case.
Through a statement on Instagram, Heard announced she was settling, but explained why she “never chose this.” In a lengthy message, here’s what the actress had to say:
A scant few minutes after Amber Heard shared her post, her pal Eve Barlow (who supported her through the events of the U.S.-based defamation case) was the first to comment, noting, "Love you always, my warrior friend."
What The Verdict Read In The Amber Heard Johnny Depp Defamation Case
The Amber Heard/Johnny Depp suit and countersuit found the actor guilty on only one count related to a comment his lawyer had made. Meanwhile, Heard was found guilty on all three counts, which carried an initial $15 million in total damages she would have had to pay to her ex-husband. That amount was eventually reduced, as a portion of the damages awarded to Johnny Depp found themselves capped by Virginia law.
Team Heard filed an appeal, which was complemented by Johnny Depp’s own appeal over the Fairfax County verdict. This follow-up suit sought to overturn the $2 million in compensatory damages awarded against the Pirates of the Caribbean star incurred from the one count that Depp was found guilty of. Though this would not be the only legal action that Team Heard would have to deal with in the wake of this recent proceeding.
What Happened After The Defamation Trial?
As noted prior, ahead of Amber Heard's announcement, there did seem to be an appeal in the works. In addition, a lawsuit with Heard’s insurance company further complicated things, as her insurers felt they didn’t have to pay for either the legal costs or penalties incurred in that trial. This led to the latest countersuit from Amber Heard, against The New York Marine and General Insurance Co, which was filed last month.
With the legal processes between this split couple already progressing across several years, the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard timeline has seen another significant happening plotted on its overall course. As Heard is looking to move on from the courtroom, this settlement is just the first step in putting those days behind herself and her ex-husband. We’ll see how things develop after all is said and done, as the actor herself has reminded everyone that she’ll still be allowed to freely discuss her side of this ongoing story.
