UK Judge Rules Johnny Depp’s Case Against British Tabloid Can Proceed

A British judge rejected The Sun’s attempt to dismiss a libel suit brought by Johnny Depp on Thursday. Depp is suing The Sun’s publisher, News Group Newspapers, and the tabloid’s Executive Editor, Dan Wootton, for an article claiming that Depp violently abused his ex-wife Amber Heard.

The article was published in 2018 and Depp has strongly denied the allegations.

The tabloid requested for the case to be dismissed since Depp failed to disclose text messages showing he tried to buy “MDMA and other narcotics” while he and Heard were in Australia in 2015.

Judge Andrew Nicol said in response to The Sun’s motion, “in my view it would not be just to strike out the claim.” Nicol acknowledged that Depp had breached the disclosure order, but gave Depp “relief from sanctions” which means the case will proceed.

Nicol also rejected Depp’s attempt to force his ex-wife into disclosing her communications with James Franco and Elon Musk whom Depp claims she had affairs with while with Depp.

“The central issue for the defense of truth is whether Mr. Depp assaulted Ms. Heard. Even if she had been unfaithful to him, that would be irrelevant on that central issue. I am not therefore persuaded that these categories of documents are necessary for the fair disposal of the litigation,” the judge said.

As the case moves forward, both Depp and Heard will be at the London trial in person. The trial is scheduled to last for three weeks.

Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 comedy, The Rum Diary. They married in 2015 and were divorced in 2017.