The ‘Aquaman’ actress must post a bond for the full judgment if she wants to appeal, the judge in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial ruled
Amber Heard is officially on the hook for $10.35 million after Johnny Depp won his defamation suit against her. She will have to post a bond for that sum, plus interest, if she wants to appeal, according to a written order filed Friday.
After a six-week trial in Fairfax, Virginia, a jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, finding that Heard had defamed him by referring to herself as a domestic abuse victim in a Washington Post op-ed.
The punitive damages were reduced to $350,000 in accordance with Virginia law, bringing the grand total to $10.35 million.
In Heard’s counterclaim, the jury awarded her $2 million in compensatory damages, finding that Depp had defamed her through statements made by his attorney, Adam Waldman, to the press.
JOHNNY DEPP VERDICT: ACTOR WINS DEFAMATION CASE AGAINST EX-WIFE AMBER HEARD
A photo combination of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in court May 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, Pool)
During a brief hearing Friday, Judge Penney Azcarate entered a two-page ruling that states that both judgments are subject to 6% interest per year. Lawyers for the feuding exes were present. Depp and Heard were not.
The judge said that if Heard wants to appeal, she must post a bond for the full judgment of $10.35 million, plus 6% interest per year, according to a source close to Depp’s team.
Virginia civil lawyer Broderick Dunn said this wasn’t unusual.
“It is typical practice to require the non-prevailing party to post a bond for the judgment amount in order to appeal the matter,” Dunn told Fox News Digital. “They don’t have to pay the full amount, but a percentage of the amount in order to obtain a bond — a concept similar to bail in criminal court.”
Amber Heard leaves the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia following the June 1 verdict in Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against her. (Win McNamee)
A representative for the “Aquaman” actress said she still planned to appeal, mentioning the Jan. 6 House hearings in a statement.
“As stated in yesterday’s congressional hearings, you don’t ask for a pardon if you are innocent. And you don’t decline to appeal if you know you are right,” the spokesperson said.
Heard has 30 days to file her notice of appeal.
