Amber Heard officially files to appeal defamation case against Johnny Depp

21 July 2022

Amber Heard has officially filed to appeal her defamation case against Johnny Depp.

Amber Heard has officially filed to appeal her defamation case against Johnny Depp

Almost two months after the ‘Aquaman’ actress, 36, was ordered to pay her ex-husband, 59, more $10 million (£8.4 million) damages, her lawyers submitted a notice on Thursday (21.07.22) attempting to reverse the ruling.

It comes despite Heard last week being denied her request for a new trial.

Depp’s representatives repeated their confidence the payout decision would not be reversed.

A spokesman for the ‘Ed Wood’ actor told DailyMail.com on Thursday evening (21.07.22) in the wake of Heard’s appeal application: “The jury listened to the extensive evidence presented during the six-week trial and came to a clear and unanimous verdict that the defendant herself defamed Mr Depp, in multiple instances.

“We remain confident in our case and that this verdict will stand.”

Earlier this month, Heard’s attorneys asked the judge to declare a mistrial.

They argued one of the jurors on the case should not have been eligible to sit as his summons was intended for his father, who had the same name and address.

The request was dismissed, with Judge Penny Azcarate ruling there was “no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing” by the juror and the jury’s verdict should stand.

She also noted both sides had questioned and accepted all jury members at the start of the trial.

Heard has said she is unable to pay the fortune in damages owed to Depp, awarded after a jury ruled she defamed Depp star in a newspaper opinion piece published in 2018.

Heard won only one of her three countersuit claims.

During an interview in June on Good Morning America, a lawyer for Depp suggested the actor might be willing to forgo the multi-million dollar damages award if Heard agreed not to go ahead with an appeal.

Her lawyers lost the chance during a June 24 hearing when they declined to make the agreement and Judge Azcarate finalised the verdict, leaving Heard's only way forward an appeal.