The Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation trial dominated the news cycle when the two actors met in court in Virginia. And with cameras in the courtroom, plenty of moments went viral as a result. Despite the verdict coming out months ago, the legal battle is still raging on. And Heard’s former lawyers reacted after exiting the Aquaman 2 star’s appeal against Depp.
During the explosive six-week defamation trial, Amber Heard’s lawyer Elaine Charlson Bredehoft defended the actress and advocated for her. Following the verdict, she also did televised interviews, including one where she maintained that there was no way for Heard to pay the whopping 10 million dollars ordered by the courts. Now Bredehoft has issued a statement, per the Daily Mail, after parting ways with the Aquaman star, saying:
This is the perfect time to pass the baton. I have pledged to Amber and her appellate team my complete cooperation and assistance as they move forward on a path towards success.
Well, there you have it. As Amber Heard’s legal team prepares to appeal the decision made in the defamation verdict, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft seems to think it was an ideal time to move on with her own career. And Heard already has new representation, while her other attorney Ben Rottenborn is remaining on her legal team for the appeal process.
Of course, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft wasn’t the only one to issue a statement about departing Amber Heard’s side as the defamation appeal plays out. Her legal team put out an official response to the news, which seems similarly positive about the changing of the guard. Said statement reads:
When it comes to protecting the fundamental right of Freedom of Speech, we look at the jury’s decision – to paraphrase a famous quote – not ‘as the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning.’ A different court warrants different representation, particularly as so much new evidence is now coming to light.
And just like that, Amber Heard’s most recognizable attorney has left her legal team. Elaine Charlson Bredehoft did a ton of legwork on the original defamation trial, which the public was able to watch from the comfort of their own homes. We’ll just have to see how much coverage the appeal process ultimately gets.
Both Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s legal team have filed appeals related to the defamation case, despite the latter actor largely being the victor in court. The stakes feel high especially for the Aquaman actress, who was ordered to pay a wild sum of millions to her ex-husband as a result of being found guilty on three charges.
Professionally, Johnny Depp has recently started filming his first post-trial movie, while also picking up a directing gig. As for Amber Heard, she can be seen in Aquaman 2 on March 17th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.