On Tuesday, a Virginia state judge ruled that Johnny Depp's two-year libel lawsuit against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, would not be dismissed, securing the case next year.
Hurd's decision to close the case - his third step since Depp filed a lawsuit in March 2019 - was dismissed by Fairfax County Chief Justice Penny Askarate for a number of reasons detailed in a decision taken by USA TODAY.
Hurd tried to dismiss the suit in Virginia, citing a London judge's ruling last year in a libel lawsuit brought by Depp against the publisher of The Sun, which he lost after a controversial legal battle in an English courtroom.
A London judge concluded that the 2018 article which called Depp a 'wife killer' was not defamatory and that the 'vast majority' of Hurd's domestic violence charges 'can be proven to civil standards' .
But because the two cases were not the same - Hurd was not involved in the London trial, although she was a witness to The Sun - Judge Virginia Askarate ruled that her argument for the dismissal was not did not meet established legal standards governing civil cases. can be made redundant.
In his ruling, Azkarat said: “The Respondent's assertion that refusing to recognize the UK's decision in this case would set a dangerous precedent is incorrect. “On the other hand, supporting English libel judgments in the United States would be a deterrent and set a dangerous precedent. Therefore, this Court is not persuaded by the arguments of the defendant. "
The move was a big triumph for the actor in his ongoing battle with his ex, which began during their divorce in California in 2016 and has now survived their troubled marriage.
Depp's attorney, Benjamin Chu of Brown Rudnick in Washington DC, said: “Mr. Depp is extremely pleased with the court's decision.
USA TODAY contacted Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, attorney for Heard in Virginia.
The trial is scheduled to take place in Fairfax County, Virginia's largest and most populous county in suburban Washington, DC, on April 11, 2022. Both parties, including Hurd, will reopen the proceedings, as taking statements.
Virginia's actions stem from an article Hurd wrote in December 2018 for the Washington Post (published in Virginia) in which she claimed to be the public face of domestic violence. In her post, she lamented that she "felt the full weight of our culture's anger against women speaking out."
Depp filed a lawsuit several months later, claiming $ 50 million in damages. According to his trial, he presented himself as the victim of "false" accusations, "part of an elaborate ploy to create positive publicity" for Heard to improve his career.
The lawsuit alleges that “Ms. Hurd was not a victim of domestic violence; she is a criminal. "
According to Depp's lawsuit, Hurd never named the Pirates of the Caribbean star by name in his article, but it was clear who and what she meant.
His article came after the couple's tumultuous divorce proceedings in 2016, in which Hurd accused Depp of domestic violence, sought a restraining order against him and claimed he threw a cell phone in her face during the 'a fight in their loft in downtown Los Angeles. ...
Depp vehemently denied all charges, and Los Angeles police officers who arrived in their attic on the night of the alleged violence said they found no evidence of the crime.
At the end of the summer, they came to an amicable agreement and issued a long joint statement in which they confessed their love.
"Our relationship was incredibly passionate and at times tumultuous, but always bound by love," the statement said. “For reasons of financial gain, neither party made any false statements. There was never any intention to hurt anyone physically or emotionally. Amber wishes Johnny all the best for the future. Amber plans to donate the proceeds of the divorce to charity. "
Several groups of Heard lawyers have tried unsuccessfully to dismiss Depp's trial in Virginia over the past two years. Meanwhile, in Depp's defamation lawsuit in London, which ended in June 2020 after a three-week circus-style lawsuit, two movie stars acted as star witnesses.
As a result of the incident, Depp was replaced by dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise with Mads Mikkelsen.
Depp told the Sunday Times in London this week that he was boycotted by Hollywood, mentioned the "surreal five years" associated with the affair and discussed the impact of the film industry on his once promising career.
Meanwhile, Heard has since become a single mother, posting on Instagram earlier this year that she secretly welcomed a daughter, Una Paige Heard, on her "own terms."
New York judge granted motion to investigate whether Heard turned over his full $ 7 million divorce settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union and Los Angeles Children's Hospital , as she had promised.
As a result of that order last month, the ACLU is now required to provide documents to prove whether Heard fulfilled his pledge to donate, which was the subject of controversy in the Virginia case.
Hurd's decision to close the case - his third step since Depp filed a lawsuit in March 2019 - was dismissed by Fairfax County Chief Justice Penny Askarate for a number of reasons detailed in a decision taken by USA TODAY.
Hurd tried to dismiss the suit in Virginia, citing a London judge's ruling last year in a libel lawsuit brought by Depp against the publisher of The Sun, which he lost after a controversial legal battle in an English courtroom.
A London judge concluded that the 2018 article which called Depp a 'wife killer' was not defamatory and that the 'vast majority' of Hurd's domestic violence charges 'can be proven to civil standards' .
But because the two cases were not the same - Hurd was not involved in the London trial, although she was a witness to The Sun - Judge Virginia Askarate ruled that her argument for the dismissal was not did not meet established legal standards governing civil cases. can be made redundant.
In his ruling, Azkarat said: “The Respondent's assertion that refusing to recognize the UK's decision in this case would set a dangerous precedent is incorrect. “On the other hand, supporting English libel judgments in the United States would be a deterrent and set a dangerous precedent. Therefore, this Court is not persuaded by the arguments of the defendant. "
The move was a big triumph for the actor in his ongoing battle with his ex, which began during their divorce in California in 2016 and has now survived their troubled marriage.
Depp's attorney, Benjamin Chu of Brown Rudnick in Washington DC, said: “Mr. Depp is extremely pleased with the court's decision.
USA TODAY contacted Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, attorney for Heard in Virginia.
The trial is scheduled to take place in Fairfax County, Virginia's largest and most populous county in suburban Washington, DC, on April 11, 2022. Both parties, including Hurd, will reopen the proceedings, as taking statements.
Virginia's actions stem from an article Hurd wrote in December 2018 for the Washington Post (published in Virginia) in which she claimed to be the public face of domestic violence. In her post, she lamented that she "felt the full weight of our culture's anger against women speaking out."
Depp filed a lawsuit several months later, claiming $ 50 million in damages. According to his trial, he presented himself as the victim of "false" accusations, "part of an elaborate ploy to create positive publicity" for Heard to improve his career.
The lawsuit alleges that “Ms. Hurd was not a victim of domestic violence; she is a criminal. "
According to Depp's lawsuit, Hurd never named the Pirates of the Caribbean star by name in his article, but it was clear who and what she meant.
His article came after the couple's tumultuous divorce proceedings in 2016, in which Hurd accused Depp of domestic violence, sought a restraining order against him and claimed he threw a cell phone in her face during the 'a fight in their loft in downtown Los Angeles. ...
Depp vehemently denied all charges, and Los Angeles police officers who arrived in their attic on the night of the alleged violence said they found no evidence of the crime.
At the end of the summer, they came to an amicable agreement and issued a long joint statement in which they confessed their love.
"Our relationship was incredibly passionate and at times tumultuous, but always bound by love," the statement said. “For reasons of financial gain, neither party made any false statements. There was never any intention to hurt anyone physically or emotionally. Amber wishes Johnny all the best for the future. Amber plans to donate the proceeds of the divorce to charity. "
Several groups of Heard lawyers have tried unsuccessfully to dismiss Depp's trial in Virginia over the past two years. Meanwhile, in Depp's defamation lawsuit in London, which ended in June 2020 after a three-week circus-style lawsuit, two movie stars acted as star witnesses.
As a result of the incident, Depp was replaced by dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise with Mads Mikkelsen.
Depp told the Sunday Times in London this week that he was boycotted by Hollywood, mentioned the "surreal five years" associated with the affair and discussed the impact of the film industry on his once promising career.
Meanwhile, Heard has since become a single mother, posting on Instagram earlier this year that she secretly welcomed a daughter, Una Paige Heard, on her "own terms."
New York judge granted motion to investigate whether Heard turned over his full $ 7 million divorce settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union and Los Angeles Children's Hospital , as she had promised.
As a result of that order last month, the ACLU is now required to provide documents to prove whether Heard fulfilled his pledge to donate, which was the subject of controversy in the Virginia case.
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