Depp v. Heard — Trial Archive
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Adam Waldman

Courtroom still of Adam Waldman.

Johnny Depp’s attorney whose public statements became central to Amber Heard’s counterclaim.

2022 Defamation Trial Apr 11 – Jun 1, 2022
Called by defendant
232 lines 3 proceedings 12 highlights

About

Adam Waldman began representing Depp in 2016. He said he founded Endeavor Law Firm around 2007, served as its managing member and had clients besides Depp.

In testimony, Waldman confirmed giving the Daily Mail statements that characterized Heard’s allegations as a hoax and the May 2016 penthouse incident as a staged ambush. Questions about whether Depp authorized those statements were met with attorney-client privilege objections. Waldman also confirmed providing two audiotapes to the publication at a meeting Depp attended. He disputed an account that he was the first to contact Rolling Stone, saying Depp had contacted it first.

Waldman identified witnesses he believed showed Heard was uninjured in the days after the penthouse incident. He acknowledged sharing case information by phone and Signal with pseudonymous social media commentators, describing those contacts as comparable to press relations. When questioned about his public assertion that the LAPD had opened a perjury investigation into Heard, he described bringing his own complaint to a desk officer whose contact information he could not provide. The jury found for Heard on one of her three counterclaims concerning Waldman’s statements and awarded her $2 million in compensatory damages.

Trial Record (3)

2022 Defamation Trial Apr 11, 2022 – Jun 1, 2022 3 proceedings

Day 19

Direct Direct Examination of Adam Waldman Adam Waldman Elaine Bredehoft 4 180
Summary

Heard's counsel examines Depp's attorney Waldman about Daily Mail statements calling Heard's allegations a hoax, as Chew repeatedly invokes attorney-client privilege to block answers.

Highlights (4)
Quote

“Well, I wrote several letters to Twitter to ask why I was suspended for life from their platform, and the response that I received was multiple violations of their policy. So I asked, could they name one example of those multiple violations, and they responded by saying now they were appealing, without my asking them to do so, my suspension. And that's when they sent me another note saying I was suspended for life.”

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Quote

“My recollection is that I gave a pair of audiotapes, actually, to them. Whether that occurred sequentially or at the same time, I don't remember, but I provided them two tapes.”

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Direct Direct Examination of Adam Waldman (Continued) Adam Waldman J. Benjamin Rottenborn 4 40
Summary

Rottenborn probes Waldman on his May 21 witness list, his information pipeline to social media personalities, and the thin basis for his public claim that LAPD had opened a perjury investigation into Heard.

Highlights (4)
Quote

“I would say I communicate with the Internet journalists, because we put them in a category calling them, I've done that. Exactly the way I would communicate with mainstream media.”

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Quote

“I didn't ask him to open an investigation. I filed a claim with the LAPD regarding these perjurious statements that Ms. Heard and her best friend, Rocky Pennington had made to a court”

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Cross Cross Examination of Adam Waldman Adam Waldman Benjamin Chew 4 12
Summary

Brief cross by Depp's counsel establishing Waldman as an independent attorney who owns Endeavor Law Firm and is not Depp's employee.

Highlights (4)

Locations

ECB Penthouse 2 procs
London 1 proc

Evidence From Their Proceedings (8)

Documents Unclear

Rolling Stone Depp Exposé — Stephen Rodrick (June 21, 2018)

A June 21, 2018 Rolling Stone article by Stephen Rodrick offering an in-depth account of Depp's behavior, spending, and personal issues. Disney executives including Alan Horn…

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Documents Unclear

Daily Mail — Waldman 'Ambush, a Hoax' Statement (July 2020)

A Daily Mail Online article dated July 3, 2020, quoting Waldman's statement characterizing the May 2016 penthouse incident as an 'ambush' and a 'hoax,' and alleging Heard staged…

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Documents Unclear

ALHI 7001-2 — Exhibit introduced by AV technician as Exhibit 24; associate

Exhibit introduced by AV technician as Exhibit 24; associated with the RTL statement exchange

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Daily Mail — Waldman 'Abuse Hoax' Statement (July 2020)

A Daily Mail Online article dated July 3, 2020, quoting Waldman's statement that labeled Heard's allegations 'the end of Ms. Beard's abuse hoax against Johnny Depp.' Waldman…

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Daily Mail — Waldman 'Sword and Shield' Statement (July 2020)

A Daily Mail Online article dated July 3, 2020, quoting Waldman's statement characterizing Heard's allegations as a 'sword and shield' tactic and labeling them fake sexual…

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Documents Unclear

Photos and videos from Marilyn Manson depicting Heard at a Thanksgiving 2013 gathering

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Waldman On-Record Statement to RTL — LAPD Perjury Investigation Claim

Adam Waldman's on-record statement to German media outlet RTL claiming that LAPD had opened a criminal perjury investigation into Amber Heard, introduced as ARW 660.

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Documents Unclear

Waldman–Bishop Mail Online Coordination Texts (Dep. Ex. 11)

A text message thread comprising six messages among three parties over 209 minutes, involving publicist Keith Bishop arranging a Mail Online meeting for Waldman on February 17.…

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