Justin Baldoni’s $400 Million Case Dismissed by Court
The legal fight between actor-director Justin Baldoni and actress Blake Lively is over now that a court threw down Baldoni’s $400 million defamation case. Court documents say that Baldoni missed the deadline to appeal the dismissal judgment, which means his case is over.
The verdict, which was initially made in June, gave Baldoni time to submit an appeal, but he didn’t do so before the deadline. The verdict is a clear win for Lively, who is still trying to get paid for the legal bills she had to pay during the battle.
Source: E! News
Origins of the Lawsuit: A Clash Over It Ends With Us
The fight started because of problems that came up while making It Ends With Us, the romantic drama movie in which Lively featured with Baldoni, who also directed. Lively said that Baldoni and his colleagues told lies about her after she talked about being harassed on set in front of everyone.
Lively sued Baldoni and his publicists for defamation in December 2024, saying they were behind a smear campaign in the media. Baldoni then filed a counterclaim, saying that Lively’s comments hurt his career and professional reputation.
Court Sides With Lively, Rejects Baldoni’s Countersuit
In June 2025, a court in Los Angeles threw out all of Baldoni’s claims against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and a news source that covered the story. The judge said that Baldoni’s claims didn’t have enough proof or legal validity.
Baldoni was given a chance to appeal, but he didn’t do it in the time limit; thus, his case was thrown out for good. Lively’s lawyers are now trying to get back the money they spent on legal fees and charges now that the lawsuit is officially over.
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Lively’s Legal Team Accuses Baldoni of Harassment Tactics
Lively’s lawyers said that Baldoni’s team used what they called “harassing publicity tactics” as they were organizing the deposition. They said that Baldoni’s side tried to make the judicial process into a public spectacle by inviting journalists and social media stars.
Court documents said that Lively’s demands for secret and secure depositions were turned down over and over again. Her lawyers said that the defendants were utilizing the procedure to get unwelcome attention instead of legitimately settling the issue.
Baldoni’s Side Denies Wrongdoing in Court Correspondence
Baldoni’s attorneys denied the claims, saying that their actions were legitimate and that Lively’s team was trying to unjustly dominate the court’s operations. They didn’t agree with her move, saying that what they did was part of a normal defense plan.
Even though the defendants raised these concerns, the court sided with Lively, saying that the defendants did not give a good reason for their procedural requests. The verdict strengthened the belief that Baldoni’s legal activities were not valid from the start.
Aftermath: Lively Moves to Recover Legal Fees
Now that the case is finished, Blake Lively’s lawyers have filed motions to get back the legal fees they had to pay throughout the long trial. Legal experts say that Lively’s triumph in court makes it more likely that she will be able to get a lot of money back for her legal bills.
Baldoni, on the other hand, will have to deal with the damage to his reputation that comes from the case’s conclusion, as the court’s ruling terminates his defamation claims without any further options. Since the verdict, neither side has made a fresh public comment.
Industry Impact and Public Reaction
The court case got a lot of media attention because both performers are well-known in Hollywood. The case brought up old conversations about female roles and accountability in the film business.
People who saw the rejection think it serves as a reminder of the legal problems that famous people have when they talk about their problems in the media. It looks like the discussion over It Ends With Us has come to an end for now.
