TheQuartering [6/24/2022]
Attorneys for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were unable to reach a last-minute settlement Friday, setting the stage for what could be a lengthy — and costly — appeals process.
Fairfax County, Virginia, Judge Penney Azcarate finalized the verdict in the former couple’s defamation trial during the hearing, at which Depp and Heard were not present.
A spokesperson for Heard, 36, signaled that the “Aquaman” actress plans to file an appeal.
“You don’t ask for a pardon if you are innocent. And, you don’t decline to appeal if you know you are right,” she said in a statement to The Post Friday.
After 21 days, the case will move to the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and then the parties will have 30 days to file a notice of appeal.
Under the judgment order that was entered into the docket Friday afternoon, Depp and Heard will be required to post their judgments of $2 million and $10.35 million, respectively, plus 6% interest per year.
A source familiar with the proceedings told The Post that the judge entered Depp’s version of the verdict on paper in its entirely, rejecting all of Heard’s proposed edits, and Depp’s legal team did not request an injunction against his ex-wife.
According to the source, the court also ruled that if Heard were to bring an appeal, she would have to post bond equal to the entire amount of the judgment, plus $480,000 in interest payments.
On June 1, a Virginia jury awarded Depp $15 million in damages — which was reduced to $10.35 million because of caps set by state law — after finding that Heard unfairly portrayed him as an abuser in a newspaper op-ed article, and in the process injured his reputation and career.