Los Angeles, United States: Actor Blake Lively won legal fees tied to Justin Baldoni’s dismissed $400 million defamation lawsuit, though a judge denied her request for triple and punitive damages.
Page Six reported that U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled Baldoni must cover Lively’s legal fees related to the dismissed countersuit, according to court documents.
The Associated Press reported that the judge allowed Lively to recover some legal fees and costs but rejected broader financial relief in the dispute over the 2024 film “It Ends With Us.”
Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, welcomed the ruling in a statement. They said California’s laws give survivors a path to challenge retaliatory lawsuits and online attacks.
The legal dispute began in December 2024, when Lively sued Baldoni, her “It Ends With Us” co-star, alleging sexual harassment. Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion.
Read: Justin Baldoni Settlement Leaves Actor ‘Ecstatic’
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called the ruling limited and pointed to the court’s rejection of Lively’s damages requests. Lively’s legal team said the decision recognised protections for people who report alleged workplace misconduct.
Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement before a May trial. Lively later returned to court to seek reimbursement of legal fees from Baldoni.
