Blake Lively secured a partial victory in her legal battle with Justin Baldoni as a federal judge awarded her legal fees but denied additional damages. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled on Friday that Lively could recover attorney and litigation fees related to defending against Baldoni's previously dismissed defamation lawsuit, according to Reuters. The decision comes after Lively settled her lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation during the production of their 2024 film 'It Ends With Us'.
Key Takeaways
A federal judge ruled that Blake Lively can recover legal fees from Justin Baldoni after dismissing his defamation lawsuit against her. The decision follows a settlement between the two actors regarding their disputes over the film 'It Ends With Us'.
- Judge Lewis Liman awarded Lively legal fees but denied additional damages.
- The case involved allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation during the production of 'It Ends With Us'.
- Both parties agreed not to appeal the decision.
- Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively was previously dismissed.
⚖
▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Fees Awarded To Lively | Broad Agreement | Lively can recover attorney and litigation fees | |
| Additional Damages Denied | Broad Agreement | Judge denies Lively's claims for triple damages and punitive relief | |
| California Law Cited In Ruling | Broad Agreement | 2023 California law protects harassment accusers from retaliatory defamation suits |
Legal Fees Awarded To Lively
Broad AgreementLively can recover attorney and litigation fees
Additional Damages Denied
Broad AgreementJudge denies Lively's claims for triple damages and punitive relief
California Law Cited In Ruling
Broad Agreement2023 California law protects harassment accusers from retaliatory defamation suits
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The judge cited a 2023 California law designed to protect sexual harassment accusers from retaliatory defamation lawsuits. Liman found no evidence that Lively or Baldoni acted maliciously in suing each other, as reported by Reuters. The ruling allows Lively to seek fees and costs but denies her claims for triple damages and punitive relief under the California law.
Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman criticized the decision, stating that Lively failed in her attempt to sue Baldoni for sexual harassment. According to The Guardian, both sides agreed not to appeal Friday's 47-page decision. The legal dispute began in late 2024 when Lively filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment and retaliation by Baldoni during the production of 'It Ends With Us'. Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued, accusing Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds of defamation and extortion.
In June 2025, Liman dismissed Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against Lively, finding no proof that she had defamed him. The judge noted that the California law was intended to discourage plaintiffs from filing defamation lawsuits to 'wear down and silence critics'. Both parties settled most of their disputes in May 2026 without disclosing the terms.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.