Amber Heard Pleads for Help From Judge in $1 Million Court Battle Over Johnny Depp Judgment
Jul. 11 2023, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Amber Heard has demanded the legal battle with her insurance company over the judgment awarded to Johnny Depp be dismissed — despite her insurer refusing to drop the case, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the 37-year-old actress said New York Marine and General Insurance Co. won't drop the lawsuit they filed against her despite the Depp matter being resolved.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the insurance company New York Marine and General Insurance Co. sued Heard in July 2022, only weeks after a Virginia jury found her liable for defaming her ex-husband Johnny Depp and was ordered to pay $8.3 million.
Heard demanded the insurance company cover a portion of the verdict. New York Marine and General acknowledged Heard had a $1 million liability policy that included coverage for defamation.
However, the insurance company said the policy had a provision that said New York Marine and General was not liable if Heard was found to have “willfully” committed the wrongful conduct.
New York Marine and General claimed the jury found Heard’s actions were both willful and malicious. Therefore, they demanded the court order it was not responsible for covering any portion of the judgment owed to Depp.
Heard fired back at the lawsuit by filing her own countersuit. She said New York General and Marine was on the hook despite its opposition.
Depp and ex-wife Heard famously battled each other in court in 2022.
She claimed the insurance company offered to pay her legal bills up to $1 million with no restrictions.
In December 2022, Heard announced she had reached a settlement with Depp. As a result, the entire legal battle and appeal was called off. Sources said the Aquaman actress paid her ex $1 million to end the ordeal — far less than what she was ordered to pay him. The amount was said to be covered by another of Heard's insurers.
In a recent court filing, Heard said despite the settlement with Depp, New York Marine, and General refuses to drop the case – despite there being no issues to argue. She pleaded with the judge to dismiss the case.
Heard said “There is nothing left to dispute” but New York Marine “refuses to stipulate to dismissal of” its claims.
Sources claim since the defamation trial, Depp has grown 'uncomfortable' and can't 'enjoy himself.'
Her lawyer argued, “Currently, New York Marine faces no real or threatened economic harm from Ms. Heard, as she has withdrawn her claim for indemnity and is not seeking any defense costs from New York Marine unless and until this Court’s dismissal order is reversed on appeal.”
A judge has yet to rule.
Last year, following the settlement with Depp, Heard wrote, “Women shouldn’t have to face abuse or bankruptcy for speaking her truth, but unfortunately, it is not uncommon.”
Heard said the deal was “an opportunity to emancipate myself from something I attempted to leave over six years ago and on terms I can agree to.”
“I have made no admission. This is not an act of concession. There are no restrictions or gags with respect to my voice moving forward,” she said. "I make this decision having lost faith in the American legal system, where my unprotected testimony served as entertainment and social media fodder."