fbpx
Menu

Amber Heard files appeal in Depp verdict, citing “court errors” and unfairness related to her First Amendment rights

amber heard johnny depp
Credit: Canva Creation

Amber Heard’s legal team has filed an official appeal with the Fairfax County, Virginia, court system in response to the jury’s verdict against the actress in the Johnny Depp defamation trial.

RELATED: Disney refuses to apologize to Johnny Depp, but he’s already gotten the last word, brilliantly.

Who Is Amber Heard's Lawyer Elaine Bredehoft? What to Know

Credit: US Magazine

On June 1, the jury in the case returned its verdict, finding that both Depp and Heard defamed one another. However, the jury found that Depp proved all three of his claims against Heard, awarding him $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages. According to the jury, Heard proved only one of her claims against Depp, awarding her only $2 million in compensatory damages and zero punitive damages.

Heard immediately released a statement following the jury’s verdict, saying she was “disappointed” and “heartbroken” at the jury’s verdict.

amber heard and attorney during johnny depp verdict

Credit: Law & Crime TV

Heard further said in the statement, “I’m sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.”

Amber Heard hugs her lawyer Elaine BredehoftImmediately following the reading of the verdict, correspondents with Law & Crime TV and other court tv outlets began to speculate that Amber Heard would appeal the jury’s decision, thus elongating an already very lengthy court battle between the now-divorced couple.

Amber Heard's Lawyer Slammed For Blaming Trial Loss on Social Media

Credit: NBC

The day after the jury announced its verdict, Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bederhoft, was interviewed by Savannah Guthrie on NBC’s Today Show. During the interview, she accused Johnny Depp’s legal team of “demonizing” Amber Heard. She also said Heard planned to appeal the verdict.

Judge Penney Azcarate told the court she would not record the jury’s verdict until June 24, allowing the legal teams for both Depp and Heard to have time to come to a settlement if they so chose. But on June 24, when no settlement had been reached, Judge Azcarate recorded the verdict, thus beginning a 30-day window during which Heard’s team could appeal the verdict.

Judge Penney Azcarate

Credit: Yahoo

According to PEOPLE, the Aquaman actress has done exactly that. On Thursday morning, attorneys for Amber Heard filed an appeal in Fairfax County.

“We believe the court made errors that prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the First Amendment. We are therefore appealing the verdict,” a spokesperson for Heard said in a statement. “While we realize today’s filing will ignite the Twitter bonfires, there are steps we need to take to ensure both fairness and justice.”

johnny depp amber heard

Credit: Insider

Shortly before Heard’s attorneys filed the appeal, they petitioned Judge Azcarate to declare a mistrial in the case, which she denied.

About Becky Burkett

Becky's from the Lone Star State and has been writing since she was 10 and encountered her first Disney Park when she was 11. It was love at first Main Street Electrical Parade. Joy is blank lined journals, 0.7 mm pens, and all things Walt, Woody and Buzz, PIXAR, Imagineering, Sleeping Beauty (make it blue!), Disney Parks history and EPCOT. At Disney World, you'll find her croonin' with the birdies at the Enchanted Tiki Room or hangin' with Woody and the gang at Toy Story Land. If you can dream, you really can do it!