Amber Heard's Latest Business Move Will Likely Put A Dent In Her Lawsuit Fees
It's been two months since Johnny Depp won his defamation case against Amber Heard. After a six-week trial and highly publicized battle between the two parties, Heard was ordered to pay Depp over $10 million in damages by a Virginia judge, according to NPR. Evidently unhappy with the verdict, Heard made it clear that she was going to appeal and fight for justice. In July, Judge Penney Azcarate rejected her mistrial request, per E! News, and claimed there was "no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing" during the trial. However, this did not stop Heard and her determination to fight the verdict.
She officially filed a notice of appeal in Virginia on July 21, according to People. A spokesperson for Heard said they "believe the court made errors that prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the First Amendment." The decision to appeal requires the actor to post an $8.3 million bond as well as interest, per Deadline. Heard has time to pay, as she only had to pay $500 up-front for the process to begin.
However, Heard's lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, revealed on the "Today" show that Heard could not afford to pay the damages to Depp. It was unclear how the actor planned to chip away at the large payout, but she recently made one major decision that would help her continue the process.
Amber Heard has now sold one of her homes
Amber Heard may be appealing the verdict of Johnny Depp's defamation case, but she still has to pay over $8 million while her appeal is considered by the Virginia court system. In order to put a dent in her lawsuit fees, Heard just secretly sold one of her homes in California, according to the New York Post. The house, which is located in Yucca Valley, is on six acres of land and was sold for $1.05 million, although Heard bought it for $570,000 in 2019. It was sold to a New Jersey couple, Rickard and Carol-Jeanette Jorgensen, who own Jorgensen & Company LLC, while off-market. It appears that Heard may own other properties as well, and that she used the home as more of a getaway, although that still remains unclear.
A source close to the actor told Mirror, "Amber loves spending time in the desert. It's the one place she can get away from everything." The insider continued, "[She] feels she experiences a true getaway. In recent months, it's given her time to reflect and escape the pressures of the case."
While it was originally unclear how the couple obtained the property, TMZ reports that they were in conversation with Heard's representatives and never dealt with the actor. Only time will tell what else Heard will have to sell or do to make sure she can provide the court the millions she owes right now.