The jury issued its verdict yesterday in the Virginia defamation lawsuit between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard. After three weeks of trial, the jury concluded that Ms. Heard’s statements were defamatory. Yesterday’s verdict has left many people asking whether damages awarded in a defamation case are dischargeable in bankruptcy. Ordinarily, when a person files bankruptcy and receives a discharge, this means that the bankrupt party’s debts are eliminated and do not need to be repaid. Dischargeability depends upon what else the jury concludes. The Bankruptcy Code says that debts based on liability “for willful and malicious injury by… read more »