The legal battle stemmed from the multi-million dollar libel lawsuit filed by the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor against his former wife is facing delay due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
- Sep 14, 2020
AceShowbiz - Johnny Depp's $50 million (£39.4 million) libel battle against ex-wife Amber Heard has been pushed back again.
The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star had previously requested a delay in the proceedings to allow him to shoot his upcoming movie, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3".
According to Deadline, shooting on the sequel is due to start in October (20) and is expected to continue until February (21). However, dates for the trial had been set between 11 and 28 January - meaning that he has a schedule clash.
While Heard had slammed her former lover for his actions, accusing him of making "no effort whatsoever" to honour court dates and treating the judge as "subservient," the trial has been pushed due to coronavirus.
Circuit Court Chief Judge Bruce White has moved the trial back from 11 January to 3 May, Deadline reports, with White telling lawyers for both actors, "Right now, the Virginia Supreme Court has not authorized us to conduct jury trials."
The star sued his ex-wife after she referred to herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse" in a Washington Post article in 2018. He claimed he had been defamed in the piece, even though Heard didn't name him, stating it suggested the actress was a domestic abuse victim and he "perpetrated domestic violence against her."
The couple split in 2016 after Heard accused Depp of being abusive throughout their 15-month marriage. Depp has vehemently denied the claims.
