Peace Ahoy as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Agree on Divorce Settlement

Captain Jack Sparrow may have been adept at charming his way out of the trickiest situations but Johnny Depp’s ship clearly ran aground during the fierce divorce battle he has had with his now ex-wife, actress Amber Heard.

Although they married with great fanfare in 2015, it only took 15 months for the marriage to break down with claims and counter claims, the most serious being Heard’s accusations of Depp’s violence against her. This was strenuously denied by Depp’s attorneys and his ex-partner Vanessa Paradis and their daughter Lily Rose who also stepped in to publicly support the movie star, whose supercool persona and acting talent is alleged to have earnt him over $400million.

William Roberts-Phelps, a Family Law specialist solicitor at leading and award winning regional law firm Pictons says “High asset divorces are rarely straightforward and despite the public’s appetite for celebrity dramas, it must add enormous pressure on the couple when their separation becomes the source of such extensive and intrusive media coverage.

“Even the most expensive team of lawyers can’t protect you from this kind of public scrutiny or help you to keep the accusations from the press. In this case Miss Heard was claiming domestic abuse while Mr Depp’s side was arguing that Heard was making unfounded accusations to secure a better financial deal.

“No one, other than the two people concerned, can really know what goes on in a relationship and why a formerly blissful match ends in such an acrimonious split. At Pictons we always advise couples who are separating to use the Mediation process first to try and solve their differences amicably. We say that court proceedings in respect of settling finances are the most emotionally draining and expensive option and should really be a last resort rather than the first.”

According to reports, Amber Heard has received just £5.3millon which she is planning to donate to two charities, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to prevent violence against women, and half to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

The actress said she hoped to “help those less able to defend themselves” and money had not been her motivating factor.

Despite the explosive nature of their split, they released a bizarre joint statement claiming that their relationship was “intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.”

If you are concerned about your financial settlement becoming unduly acrimonious or slanderous allegations clouding the path to an agreement contact William or one of his team on 0800 302 9448 or email william.roberts-phelps@pictons.co.uk