Amber Heard's lawyer's claim Johnny Depp's 'not entitled' to $16 million payout

Lawyers for the actress have filed a motion contesting the verdict in Johnny Depp's favour. Photo / AP

Amber Heard's lawyers have claimed Johnny Depp is "not entitled" to the US$10 million (NZ$16.1m) damages he was awarded in his defamation case over her 2018 op-ed piece in the Washington Post.

Attorneys representing the Aquaman actress filed a motion contesting the verdict in Depp's favour and the damages which were awarded to him - claiming his career was "ruined" before the publication of Heard's piece in December 2018 in which she described herself as a victim of domestic violence but didn't name her famous ex.

In the motion filed by her lawyers - and obtained by Radaronline.com - it is claimed "there is no evidence of damage to Mr Depp's reputation caused by Ms Heard's op-ed".

The documents went on to claim the damage to Depp's reputation came when Heard filed for a domestic violence temporary restraining order against him in May 2016 in the aftermath of their split.

The motion added: "Mr Depp testified that the damage to his reputation was when Ms Heard obtained the DVTRO (domestic violence temporary restraining order) on May 27, 2016 - for which he cannot be compensated. "

Actor Amber Heard hugs her lawyer Elaine Bredehoft after the verdict was read at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse. Photo / AP

Heard's lawyers stated: "Mr Depp was asking the jury to compensate him for actions that occurred on May 27, 2016," adding he has "has no right" to the damages he was awarded by the jury.

The website reports they concluded: "This is improper and calls for this Court to set aside the verdict."

After a six-week trial earlier this year, the 59-year-old actor was awarded US$10m ($16.2m) in compensatory damages and US$5m ($8.1m) in punitive damages, which the judge lowered to US$350,000 ($566,790) because of a cap in the state of Virginia.

A jury ruled in overwhelming favour of Depp in his libel lawsuit vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims in her 2018 Washington Post article that she was abused by Depp before and during their brief marriage.

The jury also found in favour of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp's lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax.

They awarded her US$2m ($3.2m).

The jury found Heard had acted with malice in writing the article where she described herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse". Depp's lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

Despite the Pirates of the Caribbean actor winning his defamation case, Ben Chew, one of the actor's attorneys carefully hinted while appearing on Good Morning America last month that the star will not collect his multimillion-dollar win from Heard as restoration of his reputation is enough for the actor.

"We obviously can't disclose attorney-client communications, but as Mr Depp testified ... this was never about money for Mr Depp," Chew said. "This was about restoring his reputation - and he's done that.

"It was a total win for Johnny," he said.