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Amber Heard is officially hooked for $ 10.35 million after Johnny Depp won his defamation suit against her. She will have to pay a bail for that amount, plus interest, if she wants to appeal, according to a written order filed Friday.
After a six-week trial in Fairfax, Virginia, a jury awarded Depp $ 10 million in compensatory damages and $ 5 million in punitive damages, finding that Heard had defamed her by referring to herself as victim of domestic abuse in a Washington Post opinion piece.
Punitive damages were reduced to $ 350,000 under Virginia law, bringing the total to $ 10.35 million.
At Heard’s counterclaim, the jury awarded her $ 2 million in compensatory damages, finding that Depp had defamed her through statements made by his lawyer, Adam Waldman, to the press.
JOHNNY DEPP VERDICT: ACTOR WINS CASE OF DEFAMATION AGAINST WIFE AMBER HEARD
A photographic combination of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in court on May 23, 2022. (Photo AP / Steve Helber, Pool)
During a brief hearing Friday, Judge Penney Azcarate filed a two-page ruling stating that both sentences are subject to 6% annual interest. The lawyers of the ex-feuds were present. Depp and Heard were not.
The judge said that if Heard wants to appeal, he must pay a bail for the total sentence of $ 10.35 million, plus 6% annual interest, according to a source close to Depp’s team.
JOHNNY DEPP PERFORMS WITH JEFF BECK IN FINLAND WITH AMBER HEARD TAKES OFF BUYING AFTER DEFAMATION TRIAL
Virginia civil lawyer Broderick Dunn said this was not uncommon.
“It is common practice to require the non-dominant party to set bail for the amount of the sentence to appeal the matter,” Dunn told Fox News Digital. “They don’t have to pay the full amount, but a percentage of the amount to get a bail, a concept similar to the bail in criminal court.”
Amber Heard leaves the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia after the June 1 verdict in Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against her. (Win McNamee)
A representative of the “Aquaman” actress said she still planned to appeal, citing Jan. 6 House hearings in a statement.
“As stated at yesterday’s hearings in Congress, don’t ask for pardon if you’re innocent. And don’t refuse to appeal if you know you’re right,” the spokesman said.
Heard has 30 days to file its notice of appeal.
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Heard was discovered last week at the Hamptons shopping at TJ Maxx and reportedly is in talks to write a book that says it all, according to OK! Magazine.
Rebecca Rosenberg is a veteran journalist and book author focused on crime and criminal justice. Email tips to rebecca.rosenberg@fox.com and @ReRosenberg.