No matter whether they made their millions — or billions — in Silicon Valley or on the silver screen, most high-net-worth individuals — including those in Texas — take the same approach when going through divorce. With history as a model, one of the most important aspects of a high-net-worth divorce — the financial settlement — will occur behind closed doors. Experts predict that the recent divorce proceedings between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard will occur in much the same fashion.
The first stage of Depp and Heard’s high-profile divorce is underway, and it will soon be onto the next stage. High-net-worth individuals like these typically prefer out-of-court settlements. It is often very unlikely that two high-profile individuals of their statures will be seen arguing in court over their respective fortunes, especially when the marriage lasted only 15 months, as in Depp and Heard’s case.
What will more likely occur, experts say, is that they will reach a private settlement, at which point they will present it to a judge who will choose to sign off on it and enter his or her judgement of their divorce. Although the divorce is considered a boiler-plate document, the actual details of the settled financial agreement will not be included in the public court record. The community property divorce law of California applies to the marriage, so Heard would only be entitled to half of what they collectively earned during their 15-month marriage.
However, Heard could potentially receive spousal support. If her allegations of domestic abuse are substantiated, this may grant her more money and for a longer amount of time. When high-net-worth individuals like either of these individuals find themselves in the midst of divorces with so much money at stake, they typically choose to consult highly experienced divorce attorneys who can assist in ensuring that their legal rights are upheld as they pursue favorable results in Texas courts.
Source: khou.com, “What’s next in the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard divorce?“, Maria Puente, June 1, 2016
