Amber Heard’s legal team to ask Judge to throw out Johnny Depp case on Tuesday

Apparently, things just aren’t going well for Johnny Depp‘s ex-wife Amber Heard.

The 36-year-old model and actress is expected to take the stand this week during the ongoing defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that’s been playing out like a soap opera since April 11 in the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse.

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Last week’s testimony included the conclusion of Johnny Depp‘s direct and cross-examination by his own legal team, headed by Ben Chew, and Amber Heard‘s legal team, headed by J. Benjamin Rottenborn. Last week also saw the testimony of expert witness Dr. Shannon Curry, a California-based forensic psychologist who testified about her copious evaluations of Ms. Heard and her findings that the Aquaman star suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder.

The trial so far has included a celebrity list of witnesses, as well as audio recordings of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in heated arguments. And while the trial is far from over, many news outlets are reporting that in the court of public opinion, Johnny Depp is already the victor.

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Just days before Amber Heard is expected to take the stand in the defamation trial, she reportedly fired her public relations team, citing unflattering headlines about her in the news. Ms. Heard has also reportedly said if she doesn’t win her countersuit against Johnny Depp, she will sue the legal team that is currently representing her.

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On Tuesday, however, in what may be Amber Heard‘s legal team’s greatest ploy, the team of attorneys is expected to implore Judge Penny Azcarate to throw out Johnny Depp‘s $50 million suit, according to Deadline. But the ploy isn’t all Heard’s legal team’s doing.

According to state law in Virginia, once a plaintiff has wrapped up his or her case and called all of its witnesses, lawyers for the defense in a civil case are actually “required” to enter a motion for the case to be dismissed. As such, Heard’s legal team will likely make the motion before Judge Penny Azcarate on Tuesday.

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According to Deadline, the process is outlined well and will more than likely take place as follows:

With the jury taken out of the courtroom, lawyers for both sides will have an allotted short(ish) time to make their points to Azcarate. After that, unless she makes the unlikely decision to ax the case, the judge will tell the attorneys she’s either immediately refusing the motion to strike or taking some time to think about it. She then will call the jury back in for the defense to commence its case.

Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard for $50 million, alleging defamation that resulted from an op-ed Heard wrote that was published in 2018 in The Washington Post. Heard has hurled accusations at Depp for years now, saying she suffered domestic abuse and domestic violence at his hands.

Credit: The Guardian

But during the Johnny Depp trial, the Hollywood actor has claimed that the opposite is true–that he is the victim of domestic violence at the hands of Amber Heard, and that her accusations and her op-ed have all but destroyed his career.

The ongoing defamation trial resumes Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. in the Fairfax County Courthouse.