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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A federal jury found Todd Chrisley liable in Georgia Department of Revenue investigator Amy Doherty-Heinze’s civil defamation case and entered a $755,000 judgment on April 4, 2024. The total comprises $350,000 in compensatory damages, $170,000 in punitive damages and $235,000 in litigation expenses. Post-judgment interest was later made explicit, so $755,000 is the original judgment—not a confirmed current balance.
Why was Todd Chrisley ordered to pay $755,000?
Doherty-Heinze sued Chrisley over statements he made about her on social media and his Chrisley Confessions podcast in 2020 and 2021, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s account of the case. She alleged that he made more than 20 defamatory statements. The allegations included accusations of corruption, improper use of the Georgia Crime Information Center, destroying evidence and taking a taxpayer-funded trip to Disney World. Those descriptions are allegations reported in the case coverage, not independent findings about the investigator’s conduct.
The defense, as summarized by the AJC from court filings, maintained that the statements were true or substantially true, made in good faith, and based on information Chrisley said he obtained from Georgia Department of Revenue personnel and open-records documents. The plaintiff’s lawyer said jurors found the statements false and defamatory, though they did not find liability on one claim.
How the $755,000 judgment breaks down
| Category | Amount | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Compensatory damages | $350,000 | Damages awarded to compensate Doherty-Heinze. |
| Punitive damages | $170,000 | Additional damages awarded by the jury. |
| Litigation expenses | $235,000 | Expenses included in the judgment. |
| Original judgment total | $755,000 | The total entered on April 4, 2024. |
The figures are stated in the court’s November 20, 2025 order amending the judgment. They describe this case’s award, not a general measure of defamation damages.
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Who is Amy Doherty-Heinze?
Doherty-Heinze was an investigator with the Georgia Department of Revenue who had a limited role in the state’s investigation of the Chrisleys’ taxes, according to the AJC. Her civil case concerned statements about her personally; it was separate from the criminal tax and bank-fraud case against Todd and Julie Chrisley.
What happened after the jury verdict?
- April 4, 2024: The jury returned its verdict, and the court entered a $755,000 judgment. Contemporary coverage characterized the result as liability for slander; WSB-TV later reported that the jury found one count of libel and one count of slander. The AJC and WSB-TV reported on the verdict.
- June 6, 2024: The court granted Chrisley’s motion to voluntarily dismiss his appeal, according to the court’s later order and WSB-TV’s report.
- November 12, 2024: The court issued and mailed a writ of execution, as recounted in its later order.
- November 20, 2025: The court amended the judgment to specify that post-judgment interest accrues under 28 U.S.C. § 1961 from April 4, 2024. The order said Doherty-Heinze had not acted on the earlier writ as of her motion and intended to domesticate the judgment in Tennessee.
Has Chrisley paid the judgment?
The available court order does not establish whether Doherty-Heinze later collected any money or what remains outstanding. Because post-judgment interest accrues from April 4, 2024, the original $755,000 total should not be treated as the current payoff amount. A verified balance would require up-to-date collection and payment information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is this related to the Chrisleys’ pardon or malpractice lawsuit?
No. The defamation judgment is a separate civil case. In June 2026, the Associated Press reported that Todd and Julie Chrisley had been released after presidential pardons and filed a separate malpractice suit against former defense counsel. That AP report did not say the malpractice lawsuit changed or resolved Doherty-Heinze’s judgment.
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