Amber Heard is attempting to appeal or overturn the June judgment in the well-known defamation case she and her ex-husband Johnny Depp were involved in.

The Aquaman actress’ legal team cited a number of flaws with the decision in a lengthy filing in Virginia court on Friday, including inadequate legal reasoning, an improperly screened jury, and overly awarded damages.

After finding Heard guilty of defaming Depp by making allegations of domestic abuse in a 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post, the jury decided in Depp’s favor last month and ordered her to pay the Pirates of the Caribbean actor $15 million in damages.

Heard was granted $2 million in damages via a counterclaim when the judge eventually decided to cap the charges at $10.35 million.

Elaine Bredehoft stated in the latest filing that the amount Heard must pay is disproportionate as a matter of law because the jury’s finding was unsupported by any evidence.

She further asserted that Depp’s damages were not attributable to the op-ed because his legal team concentrated on incidents that occurred in 2016.

Another piece examines the actor’s anonymity in the Washington Post article, which was a point of contention during the current trial.

Bredehoft’s arguments include the claims that Depp is not entitled to compensation for any actions taken before the op-ed, that “Depp did not show evidence of genuine malice,” and that “the verdicts on the complaint and counterclaim are irreconcilable and consequently should be set aside.”

Bredehoft concludes by stating: “Ms. Heard respectfully requests this Court to set aside the jury verdict in favor of Mr. Depp and against Ms. Heard in its entirety, dismiss the Complaint, or in the alternative, order a new trial. 

“Ms. Heard further requests this Court to investigate potential improper juror service and take appropriate action warranted by the results of the investigation.”

Heard’s publicist Alafair Hall told The New York Times shortly after the decision was made in early June that she intended to appeal, though it was unclear at the time on what legal grounds she would do so.

In a statement made public after the decision, Heard made it apparent she was not happy with the outcome of the case, calling herself “disappointed” and asserting that there was a “mountain of evidence” to support her claims.

This week Amber Heard’s perjury investigation also continues in Australia amid Depp trial

“I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” Heard wrote.

The latest appeal, according to Depp’s attorney, was “what we expected, just longer, no more substantive,” told Courthouse News.

Source: ladbible.com