Justin Baldoni may have lost a major legal fight however, his legal battle with Blake Lively is far from ending.
As previously stated in the past, as previously reported, the Jane the Virgin star suffered the most significant loss after a federal judge tossed out his defamation suit worth $400 million against Lively and the husband of her Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. Baldoni filed the suit in January, alleging that the group arranged a smear attack against him in response to accusations of s**ual h@rassment by Lively during the making of It Ends With Us.
The allegations first surfaced in the month of December 2024, when Lively claimed Baldoni who co-directed and starred in the feature, of displaying inappropriate actions and deliberate attempts to undermine the image of her in public. Baldoni has firmly denied the claims and been accused by Lively of fabricating the allegations to damage his career.
Despite the defeat, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, remained determined in a statement that was released on June 10. The lawyer argued that the dismissal wasn’t a definitive decision and stressed that the court allowed the plaintiffs amending four out of seven allegations.
Ms. Lively along with her team’s predictably claim of victory is a lie, Freedman said, via Variety. While the Court rejected the claims of defamation but it also invited us to amend other claims that will provide further evidence and more specific claims.
He explained to the TMZ that the decision to dismiss was just a step in the process of obtaining a more lengthy legal one and that he is still determined to clean his own name.
In the meantime, Blake Lively appeared to rejoice in the verdict by stepping back into the spotlight. On Monday she made her first appearance in public following the dismissal of the lawsuit and attended the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner in New York City. She walked down the red carpet in a white, crocheted dress, with a pair of Louboutin shoes and Chanel accessories. She blinked at the cameras like she had lifted a weight.
According to the sources quoted from The Blast, Lively was “overcome with emotion” after the judge’s decision. “She cried with relief,” an insider said. “It was a huge weight off her shoulders.”
Her legal team also echoed this view, calling the ruling as a “total victory” and slamming Baldoni’s assertions as unfounded.
The court sifted through Mr. Baldoni’s flimsy story Lively’s representatives said in the statement. We are now looking forward to pursuing attorney’s costs, treble damages in addition to punitive damages against Baldoni as well as his fellow Wayfarer Parties responsible for this illegal lawsuit.
The legal battle isn’t finished. The judge Lewis J. Liman gave Baldoni and his team until June 23rd, to file a revised complaint that is limited to allegations of tortious infringing on contract and the violation of an implied contract. However, claims of defamation cannot be renewed without new and convincing evidence.
In the wake of the decision, Lively addressed the situation directly in the Instagram Story on Monday, the 9th of June. She spoke about the lawsuit as a traumatic experience and expressed her solidarity with other women facing similar issues.
As many others, I’ve experienced the agony of a lawsuit that was retaliatory, which includes the fake shame that attempts to destroy us as she wrote. Although the lawsuit against me was dismissed however, many people do not have the resources to defend themselves.
Lively was then able to thank her fans, strangers and friends. PEOPLE revealed how she’s renewed her dedication to advocacy for women, and highlighted organizations like Women’s Justice Now, the California Women’s Law Center and Women’s Justice NOW.
It has experienced some controversy. A judge in May disapproved of the letter written by Baldoni’s legal team, which contained claims about Lively’s personal messages in private conversations with Taylor Swift. Judge Liman declared the letter “improper” and “irrelevant,” warning that it could end up inciting media confusion by suggesting the possibility of “extort” another celebrity.
The extent to which Baldoni’s amended suit will be able to gain traction in the courts is yet to be determined. The legal battle between Baldoni and his co-stars continues to play out.