Doherty-Heinze V. Chrisley
Case Background
On July 9, 2021, Amy Doherty-Heinze filed a defamation lawsuit against Michael T. Chrisley in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Newnan Division. She accused Chrisley of libel and slander, alleging he falsely claimed she misappropriated state funds. Chrisley made these statements on Facebook, Instagram, and his podcast, “Chrisley Confessions.” Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. presided over the case. [Case Number: 3:21cv105]
Cause
Amy Doherty-Heinze filed a verified complaint for defamation against Michael T. Chrisley. Chrisley, a podcast host and social media personality, had approximately 2.3 million Instagram followers as of March 2020.
Doherty-Heinze previously worked as an investigator for the Georgia Department of Revenue’s (GDOR) Office of Special Investigations. In 2017, the GDOR began investigating Chrisley and his wife, Julie Chrisley. Chrisley, in response, launched a social media campaign accusing the GDOR and its employees of conducting an illegal and biased investigation.
In October 2019, Chrisley sued Joshua Waites, the GDOR’s Director of Special Investigations, in federal court. Despite her minimal involvement in the Chrisley investigation—limited to one specific task—Chrisley began publicly attacking Doherty-Heinze in early 2020. He accused her of numerous crimes and misconduct, though he never filed any legal claims against her.
Todd Chrisley made 26 defamatory statements about Amy Doherty-Heinze through social media posts and podcast episodes. Chrisley accused Doherty-Heinze of using taxpayer funds to pay for a trip to an amusement park. He also claimed she destroyed evidence, obstructed justice, and unlawfully accessed a federal database to gather information about him and his family. These allegations portrayed Doherty-Heinze as unethical and dishonest, severely damaging her reputation. By repeatedly making these statements across multiple platforms, Chrisley amplified their reach and intensified their impact.
In 2019, Todd Chrisley and his wife faced indictment on charges of bank fraud and tax evasion. They were later convicted and received prison sentences. At the time of the civil trial, Chrisley remained incarcerated, serving his sentence.
On July 2, 2021, she served him a retraction demand, requesting he withdraw his defamatory statements. However, Chrisley refused to retract any of his claims.
Damages
The Plaintiff asked the Court to grant several forms of relief against Defendant Chrisley.
First, the Plaintiff sought compensatory damages exceeding $75,000, with the exact amount to be determined at trial. Additionally, the Plaintiff requested reimbursement for attorneys’ fees and related costs under applicable law, with the final amount to be established during the proceedings.
Furthermore, the Plaintiff asked for punitive damages, also to be determined at trial, to address the harm caused. Finally, the Plaintiff requested any other relief the Court found appropriate and fair.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
- Plaintiff(s): Amy Doherty-Heinze
- Counsel for Plaintiff(s): G. Taylor Wilson | Jonathan David Grunberg | Nicole Jennings Wade
- Defendant(s): Michael T. Chrisley
- Counsel for Defendant(s): Joseph Alexander Little, IV | Joseph Hubert Stuhrenberg | Leesa Guarnotta
Claims
Amy Doherty-Heinze accused Todd Chrisley of defamation through false statements made on social media and his podcast Chrisley Confessions.
On March 9, 2020, Chrisley posted on Instagram and Facebook, alleging Doherty-Heinze misused taxpayer funds and acted unethically. Despite being informed by her sister and others that these claims were false, Chrisley continued to publish defamatory remarks. He accused her of corruption, dishonesty, and criminal conduct, including misusing funds, failing polygraph tests, and obtaining her job improperly. Chrisley amplified these claims by sharing her photograph with defamatory captions, increasing the harm to her reputation.
Through Chrisley Confessions, Chrisley made similar allegations between March and July 2020. In Episode 77, he claimed Doherty-Heinze lacked qualifications, misused taxpayer funds, and obtained her position unethically. In Episode 85, he alleged she oversaw missing evidence, destroyed documents, and covered up criminal activities. Episode 87 included accusations of celebrating a fatal shooting and committing felonies, while Episode 92 repeated claims of corruption and criminal behavior, including misuse of a federal database.
Doherty-Heinze argued these statements were false, defamatory, and made with malice or reckless disregard for the truth. She noted Chrisley ignored evidence that disproved his claims, relied on biased sources, and failed to verify his allegations. She contended his statements constituted defamation per se, directly harming her professional and personal reputation.
Defense
The defense argued that Chrisley genuinely believed his accusations were accurate and raised affirmative defenses in his answer.
Jury Verdict
On April 04, 2024, the jury ruled in favor of Doherty-Heinze on defamation by libel and slander related to the podcasts. The jury found that Chrisley acted with actual malice regarding his statements and the 2020 podcast. However, it rejected the malice claim concerning the 2022 podcast.
Doherty-Heinze was awarded compensatory damages of $350,000. The jury also imposed punitive damages of $170,000 and an additional $235,000 for litigation expenses. The total verdict amounted to $755,000, and a consistent judgment was entered.
Post-Trial Remarks
Leesa Guarnotta, attorney for Chrisley, expressed in a statement that the star’s legal team was “pleased the jury recognized that some of Mr. Chrisley’s statements were not defamatory and awarded the plaintiff a fourth of the damages she requested.” She further emphasized concern about the state of the First Amendment, noting, “We are concerned about the state of the First Amendment where such a case could make it to trial in the first place,” and added, “We are optimistic about our appeal.”
Nicole Jennings Wade, attorney for Doherty-Heinze, told The Times on Wednesday that the Georgia investigator was “thrilled” with the decision and thankful for the jury’s favorable ruling. “Doherty-Heinze has had these lies hanging over her head for four years, and it is a huge relief to her that a federal jury has finally held Todd Chrisley accountable,” the attorney stated. Wade expressed further appreciation for the jury’s findings, stating, “She is particularly appreciative that the jury found that not only were Mr. Chrisley’s statements false and defamatory, but also that he acted with actual malice and a specific intent to cause her harm. She hopes this verdict will help deter Mr. Chrisley from defaming other innocent people in the future.”
Court Documents:
Documents are available for purchase upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com
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