Judge Orders Justin Baldoni to Pay Blake Lively's Legal Fees in Defamation Case

A federal judge in New York has ruled that actor Justin Baldoni must pay the legal fees for actress Blake Lively in a defamation case stemming from the filming of 'It Ends With Us'. The decision, issued by Judge Lewis Liman, sided with Lively's defense, which invoked a section of the California Civil Code protecting individuals who file lawsuits related to sexual offenses from retaliatory claims. Baldoni had initiated a countersuit against Lively in 2024, alleging defamation and a smear campaign after she accused him of inappropriate conduct on set. However, his lawsuit was dismissed by the judge. Judge Liman stated that California law mandates the losing party to cover the legal costs of the prevailing party in such cases, unless malice is proven on the part of the accuser. In this instance, the judge found no evidence of malice from Lively, thus entitling her to reimbursement. While Lively was awarded her legal costs, her request for damages was denied, as the judge determined such claims did not fall under the definition of 'costs' or 'attorney fees' as per the California statute. The actress's defense team expressed satisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing that it affirmed Lively filed her claims in good faith. The actors had previously reached a settlement in May, averting a trial that had been scheduled for May 18. Judge Liman had previously dismissed several of Lively's original accusations, including those of harassment and conspiracy, but allowed claims related to breach of contract and retaliation to proceed.