No matter who wins the Heard/Depp trial, defamation lawsuits against accusers are here to stay

Court of public opinion: Johnny Depp fans cheering for the actor outside the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse on the final day of the defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia. – Reuters

AFTER weeks of testimony in a Virginia courtroom, the much-watched defamation trial of Johnny Depp’s claim against Amber Heard is nearing its end. At the heart of the case is Depp’s contention that his reputation was damaged to the tune of US$50mil by a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Heard described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse” – a characterisation Depp insists is false. (Heard has filed a US$100mil counterclaim.)

It’s impossible to predict what the jury will decide. Although Depp has evidently won the court of public opinion, in 2018, he lost a similar case in a London court after suing a British tabloid for referring to him as a “wife beater.” Whatever you think about the merits of Depp’s case against Heard – and regardless of where the jury lands – one thing is clear: Defamation lawsuits against accusers are here to stay.