UPDATE: After some delay, Johnny Depp and his lawyers have decided on a day to depose Amber Heard in court: August 6.
According to paperwork filed Tuesday, the judge in the couple’s divorce case ruled that Heard must answer questions from Depp’s legal team on that date. Due to demands for privacy by Depp, it is highly unlikely that the public will ever be privy to the information divulged during Heard’s deposition.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Amber Heard is accusing her soon-to-be ex-husband, Johnny Depp, of stalling the divorce proceedings started in May.
Heard, 30, filed new court documents on Tuesday, claiming that Depp, 53, is refusing to submit financial papers necessary to settle their divorce.
Last week, Depp countered Heard’s initial request for the financial papers with two court requests of his own: a non-disclosure agreement with Heard (meaning she’d have to keep her lips sealed about whatever settlement the court reached, plus all the proceedings) and a protective order on each and every document in the case.
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Heard and her lawyer say the terms of the non-disclosure agreement are impossible to follow, considering Depp seeks a $100,000 fine every time any of his financial information is leaked.
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Depp did not respond to the request for the financial papers.
Heard — so far — has not signed any confidentiality agreements, and Depp’s lawyer, Laura Wasser, has accused Heard and her lawyer of participating in at least one media story about the divorce.
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There’s also an issue involving Heard’s deposition; she’s scheduled to be in England working on the new Justice League movie on Aug. 3 and 8, the two dates Depp’s lawyers have chosen for the hearing.
In her new filed documents, Heard insists she’s not trying to miss her deposition and says she’s willing to appear in court to testify on the weekend. Depp’s legal team has refused to work weekends.
A judge has already granted Depp’s request to keep his finances private, while any witnesses or experts called to submit testimony during the trial will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
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Heard was granted a temporary restraining order against her estranged husband May 27, after submitting a sworn declaration in which she alleged Depp threw her cellphone at her face and repeatedly hit her.
Depp’s camp has accused Heard of fabricating the abuse in order to make money. The divorcing couple didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement, and Depp is estimated to be worth upwards of US$400 million.
Depp is trying to ensure that many of his assets stay his. He specifically noted “miscellaneous jewelry,” earnings made after their separation and, as stipulated in his response, “there are additional separate property assets and obligations of the parties, the exact nature and extent of which are not presently known.”
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“Given the brevity of this marriage and the most recent and tragic loss of his mother, Johnny will not respond to any of the salacious false stories, gossip, misinformation and lies about his personal life,” read a statement released to the media. “Hopefully the dissolution of this short marriage will be resolved quickly.”
A Los Angeles Superior Court spokeswoman says the temporary restraining order Heard obtained against Depp will remain in effect until Aug. 15, when a new court hearing on the matter is scheduled.
Heard and Depp were married in 2014, and have no children together.
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