Judge Throws Out Baldoni’s Lawsuit, Upholds Lively’s Right to Speak

A federal judge has definitively thrown out Justin Baldoni’s US$400-million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, upholding Lively’s right to speak out about sexual harassment. Judge Lewis J. Liman’s dismissal on Monday reinforced that Lively’s accusations were legally protected, thus safeguarding her from Baldoni’s libel claims and supporting the principle of protecting accusers.
The court’s opinion clearly stated that Lively’s statements in her complaint were privileged, rendering them immune to Baldoni’s defamation claims. Additionally, Baldoni’s attempts to allege extortion against Lively, concerning her purported control over the film’s creative aspects, were rejected as not meeting California’s legal criteria. This comprehensive rejection of Baldoni’s key arguments marks a substantial win for Lively.
The dismissal also extended to The New York Times, which Baldoni had sued for libel. The judge found no evidence that the newspaper acted with malice or doubted the truth of the sexual misconduct allegations it reported, upholding the fair report privilege for journalists. This aspect of the ruling protects media outlets reporting on legal and public interest matters.
Lively’s legal team expressed profound satisfaction, calling the dismissal a “total victory and complete vindication” for all parties dragged into what they termed a “retaliatory lawsuit.” They are now pursuing attorney’s fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties, emphasizing that the initial lawsuit was an “abusive litigation” designed to silence Lively.