There are messy celebrity divorces, and then there’s the ongoing legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. After years of allegations, the two have been facing off in a courtroom in Virginia, with the events being televised for the public. And Depp recently got dealt a legal blow in regards to his and Heard’s respective defamation suits.
The stakes are high for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s faceoff in court, as millions of dollars are on the line for each of their respective defamation cases. The Pirates of the Caribbean star is suing for $50 million, while Heard is countersuing for double that. Unfortunately for Depp, People is reporting that his motion to dismiss Heard’s countersuit was recently denied by the judge.
This latest update from the court is sure to turn a few heads, as the public has been extremely interested in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s legal proceedings. The Aquaman actress’ legal team is suing over comments Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman made, which referred to her allegations of abuse as a “hoax.” While the Edward Scissorhands star has tried to distance himself from those comments in court, they weren’t successful in getting the countersuit thrown out.
The ruling was made by Judge Penney Azcarate, who is presiding over the high-profile case. She read her decision to those in attendance at the courtroom (as well as the countless fans watching the footage.) Her comments read as follows,
The jury may infer Mr. Waldman made these specific statements to a third party to service plaintiff [Depp] by portraying defendant [Heard] as an opposing litigant in a negative light. Consequently, there is more than a scintilla of evidence that a reasonable juror may infer Mr. Waldman made the counterclaim statements while realizing they were false or with a reckless disregard for their truth. It is not my role to measure the veracity or weight of the evidence. Actual malice is a question for the fact-finder.
And just like that, Johnny Depp’s team has failed to have Amber Heard’s defamation case thrown out of court. This keeps the stakes for the legal proceedings sky high, as millions and millions of dollars are on the line. And that’s not even considering the professional consequences that might occur once the jury comes to a decision.
Of course, the judge’s decision on this matter is no indication as to where the jury is leaning on the case. Both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have made wild allegations of abuse against the other, in what has been an explosive trial. And while the public has been weighing in both online and in person, it’s up to jurors to decide which party is in the wrong here.
Professionally, Johnny Depp recently started booking new film roles, while Amber Heard will have a role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
