How Johnny Depp and Amber Heards long trial played out: A timeline

Johnny Depp filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard after she wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”

While Depp was seeking $50 million, Heard countersued him for $100 million. After six-weeks of trial, the jury finally reached a verdict on June 1. Depp won the case as the jury awarded the actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in his defamation suit.

Also Read | Johnny Depp on Amber Heard defamation trial verdict: New chapter has begun

Below is a timeline on how Depp vs Heard trial started and finally played out:

2019: Depp sued Heard for $50 million for defamation over the Washington Post op-ed

2020: Heard’s phone recordings were released in which she admitted to ‘hitting’ Depp

July 7 2020: The three-week libel trial began

Nov. 2, 2020: The court ruled against Depp in the libel trial 

Nov. 6, 2020: Depp announced that he had been “asked to resign” from his role as Grindewald in ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’

March 2021: After his initial appeal was denied, he was once again denied permission to appeal against the high court ruling by the Court of Appeals in London

Also Read | Johnny Depp wins his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard

April 11, 2022: Heard and Depp’s $100 million libel suit began

April 12, 2022: The court case began with opening statements from Heard and Depp’s lawyers

Week 1-4: Those in favor of Depp took the stand in court. Christi Dembrowski, Isaac Baruch, Brandon Patterson and Gina Deuters, Kate James, Laurel Anderson and David Kipper – all testified during week one.

The other weeks saw those in favor of Heard testifying. Depp’s legal team had tried to argue that Heard shouldn’t be able to rely on Virginia’s anti-SLAPP legislation.

Also Read | Johnny Depp skips verdict hearing, Amber Heard’s team slams actor

Judge Azcarate ruled that Heard could, in fact, invoke Virginia’s anti-SLAPP legislation in her defense and argue to the jury that it should apply to her op-ed.

June 1, 2022: The jury finds in favour of Depp and says that the 2018 article in the Washington Post is defamatory.