A federal judge has dismissed 10 of Blake Lively’s 13 legal claims against director Justin Baldoni. Judge Lewis Liman determined that the actor’s sexual harassment allegations failed to meet necessary legal thresholds, specifically citing her status as an independent contractor under federal law and the location of filming in New Jersey as bars to her initial filings.
The court has winnowed the dispute to three surviving counts: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. These claims are now scheduled to proceed to trial.
Case Status Summary
| Claim Category | Status |
|---|---|
| Sexual Harassment | Dismissed |
| Defamation / Conspiracy | Dismissed |
| Breach of Contract | Active |
| Retaliation | Active |
| Aiding and Abetting | Active |
Legal representatives for Lively have framed the path forward as a pursuit of justice against "online retaliation" and a struggle to preserve the actor’s professional reputation. Conversely, Baldoni’s defense has maintained that the original allegations were instrumentalized as a tactic to seize creative control of the film project, It Ends With Us, and to cast him in a villainous light.
Read More: Judge Throws Out Most of Blake Lively's Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni on April 2
Investigative Context: A Reciprocal Legal War
The current ruling is the latest movement in a broader, oscillating cycle of litigation that began surrounding the 2024 romantic drama. Throughout 2025, the legal environment proved volatile for both parties:
Baldoni’s Counter-Action: In June 2025, Judge Liman dismissed a $400 million defamation suit filed by Baldoni against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and the New York Times. The court ruled that allegations made within a lawsuit are legally privileged and protected from libel claims.
Procedural Allegations: During the discovery phase, Baldoni’s team attempted to subpoena communications involving third parties, including Taylor Swift, suggesting potential extortion—an assertion Lively’s team denied. Those subpoenas were later withdrawn.
The DARVO Framework: In a June 2025 filing, 14 advocacy organizations, including the National Network to End Domestic Violence, submitted an amicus brief supporting Lively, arguing that Baldoni utilized the DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender) psychological tactic to suppress the initial harassment claims.
Despite mediation attempts in February, no settlement has been reached. The focus of the proceedings has shifted entirely from the broader initial allegations of misconduct toward the remaining narrow contractual and retaliatory grievances. Trial proceedings are expected to commence in March 2026.
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