Court Rules Out Against Justin Baldoni and His 400$ Suit

On Monday, a federal judge dismissed Justin Baldoni and his explosive $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Thus, it marked a significant legal win for the Hollywood couple and others entangled in the case.

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman tossed out Baldoni’s sweeping claims, which included defamation, extortion, and tortious interference. In this way, marking that Lively’s statements about alleged sexual harassment were legally protected under California’s litigation privilege. The court also shielded media coverage of the matter. Mainly, the New York Times’ reporting, under the fair report privilege, effectively renders Baldoni’s claims against the press meritless.

In a statement following the ruling, Lively’s legal team called the decision “a total victory and a complete vindication.” They added, “As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham. And the court saw right through it.”

Thus, the original lawsuit put four together: Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times. It stated that they collaborated in a campaign to ruin Baldoni’s reputation and career. Following Lively’s federal complaint of harassment and retaliation. All of them were related to the set of It Ends With Us, a film Justin Baldoni was producing. According to Lively, the campaign of retaliation began after she raised concerns about conduct. And the working conditions during the production.

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s Case Details

Judge Liman found that Lively’s statements were “absolutely privileged,” meaning they could not be the basis of a defamation suit, no matter their content or intent. Likewise, Reynolds’s defense was found to rest on his reliance on his wife’s account. So, the court deemed a reasonable basis for his remarks.

The judge further cleared publicist Leslie Sloane of wrongdoing, ruling that she, too, had acted within the bounds of the law in her communication with the press. Mostly, it concerned her communication with the Daily Mail, which relied on Lively’s statements.

In a statement, The New York Times defended its coverage. “We are grateful to the court for seeing the lawsuit against The New York Times for what it was: a meritless attempt to stifle honest reporting. Our journalists went out and covered carefully and fairly a story of public importance, and the court recognized that the law is designed to protect just that sort of journalism.”

Though most of Baldoni’s claims were dismissed, the court allowed him to amend and refile a narrow portion of the lawsuit. The new lawsuit concerns alleged interference with contractual relationships. This legal thread may still be pursued.

Meanwhile, Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, centered on sexual harassment and retaliation, is scheduled for trial in March 2026.

The high-profile legal drama has captivated Hollywood and the wider public. Thus, it raised critical questions about workplace conduct in the entertainment industry. Also, the intersection of legal protection and public accountability. With the judge’s ruling, Lively and Reynolds appear to have cleared a significant legal hurdle. Meanwhile, the next phase of litigation looms.