Laura Wasser
Laura Wasser is a prominent California family law attorney who represented Johnny Depp in his divorce from Amber Heard. She appeared at trial under subpoena as her firm's corporate designee, called to testify about the 2016 divorce proceedings. Her representation placed her at the intersection of the divorce settlement, the domestic violence restraining order process, and the chain of custody for Eastern Columbia Building surveillance footage.
Testimony Impact
Wasser testified that California community property law governed the divorce and that Heard's domestic violence allegations did not alter settlement amounts, directly undermining any inference that the settlement reflected a DV admission by Depp's side. She confirmed that on May 27, 2016, Heard's counsel obtained a DVTRO ex parte at 8:30 a.m. without prior notice to Depp's team, providing a firsthand account of how the restraining order was obtained. On the ECB surveillance footage, she acknowledged her firm had subpoenaed the records but could characterize preservation efforts only as passive non-destruction — not affirmative steps — raising questions about the footage's chain of custody. She also confirmed a June 2016 media embargo and the August 2016 deal point memorandum through documentary exhibits.
Notable Quotes From The Record
“California is a community property state, and what that means, to me, is that assets which were earned or created during the course of the marriage, absent some other theory of law applied, be divided equally.”
Establishes the baseline legal framework governing the Depp-Heard divorce; Heard's domestic violence allegations had no effect on her property entitlement.
“All I recall is that without any notice to us, at 8:30 in the morning of the 27th, Samantha Spector and her client went into court and obtained a no-notice ex parte restraining order.”
Wasser's characterization of the May 27 TRO as obtained without notice frames Depp's team as blindsided by the restraining order proceedings.
“I think the absence of us doing anything to destroy the video footage would be the most I could testify regarding in terms of steps that we took to preserve video footage.”
Wasser's non-answer on preservation steps — characterizing inaction as preservation — is notable given the prior receipt of formal litigation hold letters.
“I don't believe that we segregated out what the total amount was being paid for.”
Prevents the settlement payment from being characterized as specific compensation for domestic violence claims, which would have implications for Heard's credibility in the defamation suit.
Key Moments
Wasser explains California no-fault and community property law, establishing that domestic violence allegations do not change a spouse's entitlement — the settlement amount reflected property division, not any concession on DV claims.
Day 10 · Direct of Laura Wasser
Wasser recounts that on May 27, 2016, Samantha Spector and Heard went into court at 8:30 a.m. and obtained a DVTRO ex parte, without any prior notice to Depp's counsel — her firsthand account of how the restraining order was secured.
Day 10 · Direct of Laura Wasser
Wasser states she cannot attribute any portion of the undifferentiated settlement amount to domestic violence claims, directly foreclosing the inference that the divorce settlement validated Heard's allegations.
Day 10 · Direct of Laura Wasser
Wasser describes her firm's approach to ECB surveillance footage preservation as 'the absence of us doing anything to destroy the video footage' — characterizing it as passive non-destruction rather than affirmative steps, leaving chain-of-custody questions open.
Day 10 · Direct of Laura Wasser
Wasser acknowledges receiving the June 3 litigation hold letter, likely before the footage arrived, but cannot identify specific steps taken beyond not destroying the files — a gap Bredehoft probed on cross.
Day 10 · Direct of Laura Wasser
Bredehoft attempts to summarize Wasser's recollection of Spector communications in a way that overstates it; Wasser corrects the characterization immediately, distinguishing what she actually recalled from opposing counsel's framing.
Day 10 · Direct of Laura Wasser
Locations
Evidence From Their Proceedings (11)
Depp-Heard Final Dissolution Judgment
The stipulated final judgment for the dissolution of marriage between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, approximately fifty pages in length, including a provision dismissing the…
Catalog entry →August 16, 2016 Divorce Deal Point Memorandum
A deal point memorandum signed on August 16, 2016, bearing signatures of both parties and both lead counsel, identified by Wasser as the controlling memorandum for the final…
Catalog entry →August 5, 2016 Settlement Negotiation Letter (Spector to Wasser)
An August 5, 2016 letter from Samantha Spector to Laura Wasser, protected under Evidence Code section 1152 as a settlement communication.
Catalog entry →Corporate Designee Subpoena to Wasser Firm
A corporate designee subpoena directed to Wasser, Cooperman & Handles compelling the firm's testimony through its designated representative.
Catalog entry →Depp FL-150 Financial Disclosure Forms
FL-150 financial disclosure forms identified as Depp's preliminary or final declaration of disclosure filed during the dissolution proceeding.
Catalog entry →June 21, 2016 Media Blackout Confirmation Letter
A June 21, 2016 letter from Samantha Klein to Spector, Carter, and Levine confirming agreements reached in the divorce proceedings, including a mutual media blackout clause…
Catalog entry →June 3, 2016 Litigation Hold Letter (Spector to Klein)
A June 3, 2016 litigation hold and preservation of information letter from Samantha Spector to Samantha Klein.
Catalog entry →June 6, 2016 Preservation Acknowledgment Letter (Wasser to Carter)
A June 6, 2016 response letter from Wasser's firm to Charles Carter acknowledging preservation obligations and committing to comply.
Catalog entry →June 6, 2016 Preservation Request Letter (Carter to Wasser)
A June 6, 2016 letter from Charles Carter to Laura Wasser requesting evidence preservation on behalf of Heard.
Catalog entry →May 24, 2016 Divorce Initiation Letter (Spector to Bloom)
A May 24, 2016 letter from Samantha Spector to Jake Bloom initiating divorce proceedings on Heard's behalf and requesting pendente lite support and acknowledgment of service.
Catalog entry →Subpoena to Laura Wasser (Personal)
A subpoena served on Laura Wasser compelling her personal testimony in this deposition.
Catalog entry →