Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial update for 31st May 2022: When will the court session begin today?

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's legal fight has been one of the biggest events of recent times, with multiple layers of coverage and an exploding social media presence, all the while waiting for the verdict of the much-anticipated trial. With a hoard of new evidence, the trial dragged on longer than it was expected to, with the closing statements delivered on May 27, 2022.

Since then, jury deliberation is the only thing left before the final verdict. Things would have gone down sooner but the jurors were given a break for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, leaving the verdict hanging. The events following the closing statements are all set to resume on May 31, 2022, at 9 pm ET at the Fairfax County Courthouse.

Though there is no fixed date for the verdict, with the jury theoretically having infinite time to decide, the decision will not be far away with the court set to resume very soon.

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Why did Johnny Depp sue Amber Heard?

With so many accusations, of every kind, thrown across the courtroom, the real case might become difficult to follow. Johnny Depp originally sued Amber Heard for defamation after a Washington Post article by Heard hinted at Depp being a perpetrator of domestic violence. As per Johnny Depp's claim, this damage to his reputation led to Disney firing him from the famous Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

He claimed $50 million in damages and filed a suit for defamation. Following this, Amber Heard counter-sued Depp for $100 million in damages after he allegedly called her domestic abuse stories false. One of the main things about Amber Heard's claim was that she did not directly mention Depp in the article, but she did admit to many instances of domestic abuse by Depp in the courtroom.

Benjamin Rottenborn, Heard's attorney, said:

"The article isn't about Johnny Depp,...The article is about the social change for which she is advocating and that the First Amendment protects."

Heard has also allegedly claimed that there were multiple instances of assault after her marriage to Johnny Depp.

Despite these accusations, none of the parties are facing criminal charges as this is a civil trial. The seven-person jury will deliberate on whether Depp or Heard or both of them acted with malice in providing false information that would damage the other's reputation.

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What happens next in the trial of the century?

The trial is nearly at its end, and after the jury's decision, either or both parties will be penalized for defamation. In an unlikely move, none of the parties could face the suit and neither Johnny Depp nor Amber Heard will face any criminal charges.

Hollywood experts claim that the real battle will be in the court of the public for both of them, as they move on in their respective careers after the events of the trial. An unidentified industry expert spoke with CNN and said that this would damage both the actors' reputations. He said:

"Both are highly dysfunctional. Money is toxic and greed destroys. No one wins here."

However, others believe that this would not affect or only enhance the image of the actors. Entertainment agent Darryl Marshak also spoke to CNN and expressed that big names in the entertainment world may initially be hesitant to work with either of them after a controversy this big. He said:

"I think Hollywood is a strange place. When you air your dirty laundry in front of the machine, the executives, all the people that make the parts move, they sort of recoil from a hot flame."

The repercussions of the trial will not be clear until the final verdict comes. It is almost time for the decision and the jury should not take long from now. Stay tuned for more updates.