Have you Heard the latest? (update)

After six weeks of courtroom drama akin to that of a Hollywood film, the world finally has an answer in the peculiarly American saga of Depp v Heard, with (surprisingly) Johnny Depp coming out on top and intact (with the exception of his finger).

The seven-member jury found in favour of Mr Depp, unanimously concluding that Ms Heard had defamed him in an op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post in December 2018. The total damages awarded to Mr Depp ($US10,350,000) were a far cry from the original claim of $US50 million. Ms Heard did not lose entirely, as she was also awarded a figure of $US2 million in her counterclaim for one count of defamation made by Mr Depp’s former solicitor. 

In a role we are sure neither of them anticipated playing, the courtroom drama was certainly entertaining and thought-provoking – some calling it Depp and Heard’s best performance yet.

For a more in-depth look at Depp v Heard, or defamation generally, check out Hearsay: The Legal Podcast’s own Sidebar. Episode 1 of Sidebar tackles the Depp v Heard trial, while Episode 2 takes a down to earth legal lens to defamation claims in Australia. You can catch both on Spotify and Apple Podcasts – and remember the original Hearsay can get Australian lawyers their full 10 CPD points!

By: Constantina Papos, Associate, Assured Legal Solutions