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Johnny Depp, Amber Heard Divorce: Lawyer Says Amber Is Avoiding Testifying Under Oath

By Patricia Grannum
Published on: 21:00 PST, Jun 10, 2016

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are already knee deep in nasty divorce proceedings and it’s about to get even nastier. TMZ reports that Johnny Depp’s lawyer is now claiming that Amber Heard is refusing to give a deposition despite previously agreeing to do so.

TMZ says they sourced this information from legal documents filed by Laura Wasser, Johnny Depp’s lead attorney. The tabloid website reported that the documents indicate that both sides had planned to settle the case. The settlement would have involved them staying away from each other.

According to TMZ, the settlement would also have possibly involved lots of money as Amber initially asked for $50,000 a month in spousal support. Amber asked for this amount when she first filed for divorce and Johnny Depp asked the court to forgo its right to grant her financial support. The settlement conference was scheduled to take place on June 10.

However, the plans for the settlement fell apart and Wasser decided to use the day to get Amber Heard’s deposition. But then Amber Heard’s legal team informed Wasser that she was unavailable for the deposition.

As TMZ noted, it looks like Laura Wasser is arguing that Amber Heard and her legal team are trying to dodge giving testimony under oath, which is what a deposition would entail. According to TMZ, it also seems that Wasser is insisting that if Amber Heard avoids the deposition, she should not be allowed to give testimony at the trial scheduled on June 17.

In the documents, Wasser says: “[Amber] has tried her claims in the media. It is now time to do so in a court of law.”

For his part, Johnny Depp has refused to speak directly about the divorcee proceedings and the domestic abuse allegations.

As US Weekly notes, Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp on May 23, after only 15 months of marriage. On May 27, she went to the court to seek a temporary restraining order against Johnny Depp, claiming that he had assaulted her on numerous occasions. Paparazzi photos from that day show that Amber had a very conspicuous bruise on her face.

In the ensuing days, more photos of Amber’s bruised face surfaced along with text messages which reportedly show Johnny Depp’s assistant begging for forgiveness from Amber on behalf of his boss.

Depp’s assistant, Stephen Deuters has since told TMZ that the texts are fake and have been doctored.

Whilst those who are on Johnny’s side insist that Amber is lying, Amber’s friends are insisting that she is telling the truth.

“This isn’t about money,” one unidentified friend told Us Weekly. “All Amber did was try to get out of a marriage because she was suffering from abuse.”

TMZ reports that attorneys for both Depp and Heard were in court on Friday to do battle on behalf of their clients. Amber’s lawyer asked the court to reschedule the June 17 hearing because she needs more time to prepare.

But Depp’s attorney argued that whilst the process drags on, her client’s career continues to be damaged.

Wasser also asked the court to force Amber Heard to produce phone records that prove that she was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Johnny Depp.

Neither Amber or Johnny Depp were present in court. Johnny has been tour with this band, The Hollywood Vampires, for the last couple of weeks and according to TMZ, Amber skipped court on Friday because of an engagement celebration for her friend and witness, Raquel Pennington.

[Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for BFI]

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