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Depp professional malpractice trial set to begin on Dec. 2

On Behalf of | Jun 20, 2019 | Professional Malpractice

A California judge has agreed to delay the trial that will decide Johnny Depp’s $50 million malpractice lawsuit against his former attorneys until Dec. 2. The trial date had already been postponed several times when attorneys representing the actor and his former law firm appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court on May 29. Depp is said to be eager to put the matter to rest. However, the defendants successfully argued that they require more time because important information has not been handed over to them in a timely manner.

The case has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Oral contingency agreements are common in Hollywood, but their validity was cast into doubt in August 2018 when a judge ruled that such an agreement between Depp and his longtime attorneys was invalid. Depp’s lawsuit has also drawn in some of the industry’s biggest names. In April, attorneys representing the defendants sent deposition notices to studio heads, prominent attorneys and Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard.

Depp filed the lawsuit in January 2017 over the way his attorneys handled a dispute with his management company. The actor accused the company of managing his assets recklessly. In response, the company sued the actor for unpaid fees. The parties reached a settlement in July 2018.

In order to prevail in a professional malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff must establish that the services provided to them failed to meet generally established professional standards. They must then prove that this breach caused them to suffer injury, loss or damage. An attorney may encourage an individual in California who is considering this kind of legal action to act quickly as the state’s statute of limitations gives them only one year from the date of discovery to take action.