Is Amber Heard Going to Jail? Here’s What Could Happen

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The entire world has been tuning into the defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard as this entire feud between the ex-lovers has been going on for years and has led to the Pirates of the Caribbean icon losing his movie roles. That said, it seems that Depp has the advantage in the ongoing trials as the fate of the former couple rests in the hands of the jury. So, if Amber heard loses, is she going to jail?

Amber Heard will only be liable for damages if ever the jury determines that there are grounds for Johnny Depp’s defamation claims regarding a piece that she wrote, saying that she was a victim of domestic abuse. She will not go to jail because she is being tried for a civil case and not a criminal one. 

As much as the general public may hate Amber Heard right now because of what happened to Johnny Depp, she will not face jail time regardless of what happens in this case. There are differences between criminal and civil cases, and this case happens to be a civil case. That said, let’s look at what we know about the Depp-Heard case and what can happen to both parties.

What Is The Johnny Depp And Amber Heard Case About?

One of the highest-profile trials in recent memory is the case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. And this is due to the fact that Depp himself is one of the biggest superstars the film industry has had ever since the 90s.

Of course, there are a lot of people who know about the fact that Depp and Heard were once married for 15 months and that it wasn’t the best marriage. The union ended in the worst way possible as Heard claimed that she had been abused by Depp. This caused Johnny Depp to lose some of his most iconic roles as studios were quick to trash his contract after hearing about the claims that Amber Heard had been abused during the subsistence of their marriage.

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In 2018, Amber Heard penned an essay that claims that she is a public figure that is also a victim of domestic abuse. This was what forced Johnny Depp’s hand to try to protect his name and public image.

Johnny Depp subsequently filed a $50-million defamation case against Amber Heard. The case stems from the allegation that Heard had ruined Depp’s reputation and career as he had lost some of his roles and was struggling to get hired for acting roles. He also claims that Amber Heard cost him tens of millions in potential earnings when she defamed him in that piece.

However, it is worth noting that there was nothing in that essay that named Johnny Depp as Amber Heard never mentioned his name. Still, it was clear that the essay was talking about him because of the fact that it was referencing allegations of the marriage that they were in before she filed for divorce and got a temporary restraining order against him in 2016.

On his end, Johnny Depp denied ever physically hurting Amber Heard and went on to say that he was the one being abused, as evidenced by some of the recordings that he has about her statements regarding the alleged physically and emotionally abusive nature of their relationship.

In that regard, Amber Heard filed a counterclaim worth $100 million as she believes that the defamation suit that Johnny Depp initiated was for the purpose of smearing her name and ruining her life.

Since then, the pair have been giving out their own statements while presenting evidence for four weeks in a Fairfax County Courthouse. The closing arguments of the case will be delivered on May 27, as the jury could begin deliberating on the case between them after they deliver their closing arguments. 

Is Amber Heard Going To Jail If She Loses The Case?

As the case is set to see its conclusion in the coming weeks, there are already a lot of people who are siding with Johnny Depp and are claiming that he is the one who was smeared throughout the entire mess. This means that there are those who believe that Amber Heard could be on the losing end of the case. So, if that is true, is Amber Heard going to jail if she loses her case with Johnny Depp?

The thing that people should know regarding the Depp-Heard case is that this defamation case is civil in nature and is only seeking damages. That means that Amber heard will not be facing jail time if she indeed ends up losing the case. And there are also other scenarios that are possible.

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It could be possible that the jury could make a decision on either or both of the claims that Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have against one another. That means that the jury could decide that Amber Heard is liable for damages or totally absolve her of any liabilities she has over Johnny Depp.

But it is also possible that the jury could absolve Heard and make a decision regarding her counterclaim by deciding that Depp is liable to her for damages. And it is also possible that both parties are going to be considered liable for one another for damages stemming from Depp’s original defamation claim and from Heard’s counterclaim.

Whatever the case may be, what we are sure of is neither Johnny Depp nor Amber Heard is going to face jail time, depending on the outcome of this case. There are those that claim that Heard could very well end up in jail due to obstruction or lying under oath, but that is a different story that isn’t related to the original case regarding Depp’s claim for defamation.

If Johnny Depp were to succeed, however, there are those who are saying that this could have a chilling effect on free speech where alleged victims of abuse may end up fearing the possibility of retaliation if they were to come out and say that they were abused.

“Any time a defamation lawsuit is successful, it has a chilling effect on speech,” Heard’s lawyer, Halim Dhanidina, said. 

“There has always been a chilling effect for victims to come forward and speak out against institutions or entities or people with power because they feel like their world could come crashing down on them.”

With that said, there are some serious repercussions depending on the result of this case between Depp and Heard. But the point of the matter is that jail time for either or both parties isn’t going to happen, regardless of the outcome of the case. There would have to be a separate criminal case instituted against Amber Heard if Johnny Depp wanted to put her in jail.

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