in the judge Johnny Depp-Amber Heard The defamation trial made the jury’s award official Friday and led Heard to pay Depp $10.35 million for damaging his reputation by describing himself as a domestic abuse victim in an op-ed. Million was ordered to be paid.
After a brief hearing in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Penny Ezcart entered a judgment order in court records. She also ordered Depp to pay Heard $2 million, the jury’s award on her counterargument that Heard had been defamed by one of Depp’s attorneys.
The order was a formality after the jury announced its decision on June 1, which largely favored Depp after a sensational trial in which the couple revealed their short marriage during a televised trial. Which was closely watched on social media.
Depp sued Heard in a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post in which she described herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” The jury found in favor of Depp on all three of his claims related to specific statements in a 2018 piece.
the jury found depp Must receive $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, but the judge reduced the award of punitive damages to $350,000 under a state limit.
Hurd has said she plans to appeal the decision.
During Friday’s hearing, the judge said that if Heard appeals, he must post a bond for the full amount of the $10.35 million award while the appeal is pending — a common practice. The judge’s order states that both awards are subject to interest at 6% per annum.