Blake Lively scored another courtroom victory in her long-running legal battle with Justin Baldoni. A federal judge ruled that Baldoni and his company must cover the actress’s legal fees after his failed defamation lawsuit against her.
While the ruling wasn’t a complete win for Lively, it still marked a significant development in one of Hollywood’s most closely watched legal disputes.
Blake Lively scores a legal victory as Justin Baldoni will cover her fees in court
According to rulings issued by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, Lively became entitled to recover attorneys’ fees after successfully defending herself against Baldoni’s dismissed defamation claims.
The dispute stemmed from allegations Lively made against her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director. Lively had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, while Baldoni responded with a massive $400 million defamation lawsuit, claiming the actress had fabricated accusations in an attempt to gain control over the film.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, that lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, and the court later considered whether Lively could recover legal costs under California’s Protecting Survivors from Weaponized Defamation Lawsuits Act. For the unversed, this law is designed to shield sexual harassment victims from retaliatory legal action.
Judge Liman ruled in Lively’s favor on that issue. However, the actress did not receive everything she requested. In addition to attorneys’ fees, Lively had sought treble damages and punitive damages. The court denied those requests.
“The law does not create an end run around the entire set of carefully crafted federal procedural rules designed to protect the rights of the parties,” Judge Liman wrote in the ruling, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The judge further explained that compensatory and punitive damages “do not fall within that exception,” limiting Lively’s recovery to legal fees.
Liman also found there was insufficient evidence that Baldoni or his production company, Wayfarer Studios, acted with the level of malice required to justify additional damages.
The ruling arrived just weeks after both sides reached an eleventh-hour settlement that prevented the case from heading to trial. Under that agreement, neither side could appeal the judge’s decision regarding legal fees.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THE BLAKE LIVELY AND JUSTIN BALDONI LEGAL DRAMA IS FINALLY OVER?
