Depp's lawyers had sought to prevent his ex-wife from claiming she should not be sued over an op-ed piece in the Washington Post.
The judge ruled that Depp assaulted Heard on a dozen occasions and put her in fear for her life three times. Heard has also filed a counterclaim for defamation against Depp because of statements Depp‘s lawyer made about her. Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia after the Washington Post published her opinion piece.
A judge ruled that Amber Heard can use a public interest defense in Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit.
At a Virginia courthouse on Thursday, Depp's lawyers sought a ruling that would block Heard from arguing that she was speaking about matters of public interest in the article meaning she would be protected from any lawsuit. The case is set to take place on April 11. Depp's name isn't mentioned, but the article was widely interpreted as being about him.
Johnny Depp suffered a legal setback on Thursday as a judge ruled that claims of abuse by Depp's ex, Amber Heard, might be protected speech.
Of course, Depp's lawyers still have the ability to demonstrate that Heard's statements were false. Instead, the judge allowed that it could be argued that Heard's discussion about domestic violence could be considered a matter of public concern. This latest ruling by Virginia Judge Penney Azcarate dealt with the concept of SLAPP suits.
While it likely will not create a new legal precedent, it could affect survivors' trust with the media.
Nicole Froio, a feminist researcher and journalist, is concerned that if Depp’s defamation suit is successful, it could lead to some perpetrators of domestic violence trying to silence survivors. Heard’s op-ed did not name Depp as someone who had abused her. Both Depp and Heard have made serious accusations against each other about domestic abuse, and this is not the first court case about how their relationship has played out in the media. The case will start only four days before the release of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” which Depp was fired from due to domestic abuse allegations. “It’ll give them legal avenues to silence their victims.” The New York Times Co. v.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's trial date is fast approaching.
There’s clearly no end in sight for the ongoing legal saga, as the teams representing both Heard and Depp aren’t backing down. They also claimed that the story was a “public matter” as it aimed to bring light to issues about domestic violence. But her team will be able to argue using the aforementioned point about domestic violence being a public issue. According to The Guardian, the judge ultimately sided with Heard on this matter. The legal battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp has gone from the U.K. to stateside, and both actors have their own suit against the other. Depp just hit a setback in his lawsuit against Heard as the trial date approaches, so buckle up.
A judge ruled that Heard can argue that an article she wrote about domestic abuse was in the public interest.
Start your Independent Premium subscription today. In 2020, Depp lost a similar lawsuit in the UK against The Sun over an article that claimed the actor was a “wife beater”. The judge ruled that Depp assaulted Heard and put her in fear for her life on numerous occasions. A judge ruled that Heard can argue that an article she wrote about domestic abuse was in the public interest
Johnny Depp might have just been dealt a pretty major blow in his lawsuit against Amber Heard which is set to go to trial next month.
Though Johnny Depp is never mentioned by name in the piece, he is claiming that the article all but alluded that he was the person referenced as the abuser in their brief relationship. This could have the ball in her court when it comes to the trial itself and make it particularly difficult for Depp to win. As the case ramps up towards a trial, a judge ruled that Amber Heard can use the state of Virginia’s anti-SLAPP statute as part of her case.