Johnny Depp Suffers A Loss To Amber Heard In New Court Ruling

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were once one of Hollywood's most famous couples. However, their brief romance ended in a very public way when Heard alleged that Depp had been aggressive to her multiple times throughout their relationship, mostly when he was drunk.

As a result, Depp was issued a restraining order ordering him to stay away from the actress, and he received a lot of backlash on social media. In 2018, the couple divorced, and Heard was awarded $7 million as part of her divorce settlement.

Depp and Heard clashed in court again a few years later, this time accusing each other of defamation. "The Pirates of the Caribbean" star just got a recent defeat in court following a judgment on the matter, further losing his grip on the case.

Depp's case against Heard was primarily based on an agreement they had reached following their divorce. Reports stated that a non-disparagement clause was included in the divorce settlement, which compelled either party not publicly to criticize themselves.

However, Heard detailed years of abuse in an op-ed for The Washington Post in 2018. Although she never mentioned her ex-husband's name, Depp and his team of litigators believed he was defamed in the write-up. As a result, Depp sued her, prompting Heard to file a countersue for up to $100 million.

Things became much more complex in 2020 when phone records from 2015 were unearthed in which Heard reportedly acknowledged punching Depp but claimed she didn't damage him. Depp was overheard saying to his wife, "You're a f**king crime scene."

While Depp's case against Heard is still unfolding, the actor seemingly appears to be holding the losing hand given the recent ruling by a Virginia court. His attorneys had requested a judgment on Thursday that would prevent Heard from claiming that she was speaking about subjects of public interest in her piece for the Washington Post.

They claimed that the law that allows for this defense — the strategic lawsuit against public participation convention (also known as anti-SLAPP) — was not intended to be employed in private disputes.

However, the judge ruled that there was no basis for the argument, striking out Depp's attorney's request and allowing Heard to use the proposed angle as a form of defense in the upcoming case as per The Guardian.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and actor James Franco are among the high-profile celebrities expected to testify in Heard and Depp's defamation lawsuit, as per Insider Depp accused Heard of having "extramarital relationships" with them while she was still with him, which has now embroiled Musk and Franco in the legal battle.

Following the latest court ruling, WandaVision star Paul Bettany, representatives of the Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros, and the LAPD will be joining Franco and Musk and other associates of the formerly-married "Rum Diary" actor to star as a crucial witness in the trial.

According to Deadline, Both Musk and Franco will send in their statements virtually while Depp and Heard are both scheduled to testify in person during the trial.

Depp's latest loss is one of the many other cases that have not swung his way in recent months. The actor lost a suit to toss out Heard's $100 million counter-defamation case and similarly came short in his libel move against Rupert Murdoch's The Sun tabloid in November 2020 for calling him a "wife-beater."

The actor's career has also been affected by the scandals emanating from his legal tussle with Heard, as he has barely starred in any hit project since the divorce. He also recently got replaced by actor, Mads Mikkelsen in his starring role as Gellert Grindelwald in the "Fantastic  Beasts" movie franchise.

Whatever the current situation may be, one sure thing is the upcoming case will be a major decider on things as the two continue to forge ahead with their lives.