Gary Matthews Solicitors

Heard to appeal court’s ruling ordering her to pay ex-husband Johnny Depp, which came at the conclusion of a high-profile trial

Amber Heard on Thursday appealed a Virginia court’s ruling ordering her to pay ex-husband Johnny Depp over $10m during a high-profile defamation trial that exposed the inner workings of their troubled marriage.

Heard’s lawyers filed documents in Fairfax county circuit court, where a six-week trial featured riveting testimony from both Heard and Depp. The document notifies the Virginia court of appeals that Heard intends to appeal the judgment, as well as rulings the judge made after the verdict, including rejecting Heard’s request to set aside the verdict and dismiss the lawsuit or order a new trial.

To read the full story please visit:
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/21/amber-heard-to-appeal-order-10m-johnny-depp-defamation-case

Award levels in personal injury and medical negligence cases fell significantly during the past decade while legal fees also decreased, a report has shown.

The report, by consultants EY, said an analysis of data from more than 250 cases between 2011 and 2019 contradicted popular perceptions that awards increased significantly as well as the general narrative that litigation costs have been rising steadily.

It found the median award in personal injury and medical negligence cases fell by 12pc between 2011 and 2013 and 2017 and 2019.

Fees paid to barristers and solicitors across the cases examined fell by 10pc in the same time frame, even though the median duration of cases increased by almost a third.

EY also found a third of each bill of costs was paid to the State, either through court duty, which is currently 8.5pc, or the 23pc VAT on professional fees.

To read the full story please visit:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/personal-injury-awards-and-legal-fees-fell-during-past-decade-report-finds-41859327.html

A woman who fell off a stage and allegedly hurt her back at a ceremony where she got an employee long service award has sued her employer and the hotel which hosted the event.

Teresa Fermoyle, who worked in Jurys Inn at Christchurch, Dublin city, told the court she had been flown to Glasgow, Scotland for the awards ceremony which was attended by 400 people from across the UK and Ireland.

But Ms Fermoyle, who had worked with Jurys Christchurch for 25 years, said after she went on stage and accepted her long service scroll, she fell off the back of the stage as more people were called up to collect their awards.

She later found out she had fractured a vertebra in her back and she told the court she has not worked since the accident five years ago.

To read the full story please visit:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/woman-who-fell-off-stage-at-ceremony-where-she-received-employee-award-sues-employer-and-hotel-that-hosted-event-41858588.html