Johnny Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard can argue to a jury that she should be protected from a libel lawsuit

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Johnny Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard can argue to a jury that she should be protected from a libel lawsuit Johnny Depp Johnny Depp loses court ruling over Amber Heard libel defence plan Tribun24- Amber Heard is one step ahead of Johnny Depp. She can defend herself against the new accusation made by Johnny Depp. Johnny Depp, on the other hand, is trying to defend himself in court. Amber has accused Johnny Depp of beating her. Johnny Depp has vehemently denied the allegations, accusing Amber Heard of lying. Johnny Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard can argue to a jury that she should be protected from a libel lawsuit because an article she wrote in 2018 on domestic violence deals with a matter of public interest, a judge ruled Thursday. Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia after the Washington Post published her opinion piece. Depp’s lawyers say the article falsely implies she was physically and sexually abused by Depp when the actors were married. At a Fairfax County court house on Thursday, Depp’s lawyers sought a ruling that Heard could not, in her defence, invoke a Virginia law designed to protect people from nuisance lawsuits when they speak about matters of public concern. Depp’s lawyer said the law, known as an anti-Slapp (strategic lawsuit against public participation) provision, is not designed to interfere with private disputes. Heard’s lawyer said the article in question does not mention Depp by name and it addresses a serious issue of public concern: preventing domestic violence. The judge ruled against Depp, who had sought to bar Heard’s lawyers from claiming immunity. The ruling does not mean Heard has immunity for what she wrote but simply that she can make that argument to a jury as part of her defence. Heard has also filed a counterclaim for defamation against Depp because of statements Depp‘s lawyer made about her. The ruling comes just weeks before a lengthy trial is scheduled to begin in Fairfax. Both Depp and Heard are scheduled to testify in court, with numerous other Hollywood figures listed as potential witnesses. Depp was allowed to sue in Virginia because the Washington Post’s online editions are published through servers located in Fairfax County. Heard’s lawyers had sought to have the case moved to California, where the actors live. During Thursday’s arguments, Depp’s lawyer said that one of the reasons they brought the case in Virginia is because the state’s anti-Slapp law is not as broad as in California. Depp filed a similar lawsuit in the UK against a newspaper and lost. The judge ruled that Depp assaulted Heard on a dozen occasions and put her in fear for her life three times. The Virginia lawsuit seeks $50m in damages. While the December 2018 Post article never mentions Depp, Heard refers to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. Depp has said the accusations are untrue and have made it difficult for him to get the sorts of roles he once did. Elon Musk and James Franco Will Testify in Upcoming Trial Elon Musk and James Franco will reportedly take the stand to testify on Amber Heard’s behalf when her ex-husband Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit finally heads to trial next month. Heard is being sued over her 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she discussed being a “public survivor of abuse,” though Depp’s name is not mentioned. The $50 million defamation lawsuit has faced several postponements since Depp initially filed it against Heard in March 2019, but is set to go to trial on April 11, according to TMZ. In that original filing, the actor’s lawyers claimed, “Mr. Depp never abused Ms. Heard. Her allegations against him were false when they were made in 2016. They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career.” Per TMZ, a number of high-profile stars are scheduled to testify on Heard’s behalf, including her The Adderall Diaries costar James Franco, her ex-boyfriend Elon Musk, and actor Ellen Barkin. WandaVision star Paul Bettany will also reportedly testify for Depp after his texts with the actor were made public in one of Depp’s previous trials. During a hearing over Depp’s libel case against The Sun in July 2020, Heard testified that Franco had asked her about the bruises on her face she claims she sustained after Depp threw a phone at her face. In his defamation lawsuit against the Heard, Depp also claims that she had an affair with Musk “no later than one month after” their 2015 marriage. A representative for Musk previously stated that “Elon and Amber didn't start seeing each other until May 2016, and even then it was infrequent. Their relationship didn’t become romantic until some time later.” In November 2020, Depp lost his libel lawsuit against the British tabloid over a headline that called him a “wife-beater.” The court determined that the outlet’s claims were “substantially true,” also overruling the actor’s attempt to overturn the decision in March 2021. Heard has argued that Depp’s Virginia lawsuit against her should be dismissed as well, claiming that the U.K. ruling should bear weight on these proceedings given that both cases are focused on allegations of the actor as an abuser. But in August, a Virginia judge ruled that Depp has the right to proceed with the lawsuit and denying Heard’s supplemental pleas to dismiss the case. Johnny Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard can argue to a jury that she should be protected from a libel lawsuit | Tribun24 Source The Gardian Vanity Fair