Amber Heard leaves Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse after the jury announced split verdicts in favour of her ex-husband Johnny Depp and Heard on their claim and counter-claim in the Depp v Heard civil defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, US on June 1, 2022. Picture: Reuters/Tom Brenner
Amber Heard insists her insurer has to cover the $8.3m (R96.2m) she owes Johnny Depp after being found liable in their libel trial.
The “Aquaman” actress, 36, is countersuing New York Marine and General Insurance Co after it said it does not have to pay any money as a result of the case.
She had taken a $1 million liability policy to protect her from defamation claims, but the insurer argued because the jury found she committed wilful misconduct in her claims about the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor, 59, they do not have to fulfil the policy under California law.
Court documents obtained by “TMZ”, revealed on Tuesday, show Heard is now arguing she struck an “unconditional deal” and promised to pay her defence costs and judgments against her up to a million dollars, no matter what.
It follows Depp’s appeal filing over the court’s verdict he must pay $2m to Heard following their trial.
Depp was awarded $10m to $15m in compensatory damages and $5m (£4.5m) in punitive damages after their case.
But the judge later capped the damages at $350 000 leaving Depp with a total of $8.35m.
Heard won one of her three countersuit claims related to statements made by Johnny’s lawyer suggesting the actress and her friends had trashed their apartment before calling the police.
She was awarded $2m in compensatory damages out of the $100m she had sought from her ex-husband.