Things are already shifting in Justin Baldoni‘s favor with his case against Blake Lively.
The “It Ends With Us” stars have been in this legal brawl from the production and promotion days of the 2024 film. The sexual harassment and retaliation allegations finally had their day before a judge, and the actor seems to have the upper hand already.
Blake Lively brought thirteen claims to court against her co-star, Justin Baldoni, only to have ten of them thrown out at the pre-trial stage. This leaves the actress with a much narrower case to take to trial, where either or both screen stars may be called to testify.
Justin Baldoni Looks Forward To The Next Step On His Case With Blake Lively
Lively’s case against her co-star, Baldoni, was almost thrown down the drain completely. The sexual harassment claims in her lawsuit were dismissed by Judge Lewis Liman on Thursday, leaving the case hanging on only the claims of retaliation. Out of the thirteen allegations, 10 were dismissed, including the one where she claimed she was fat-shamed.
Left with just the claims on breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting retaliation against the actor, his legal team is ready to defend. After their legal victory, Baldoni’s attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach, shared a statement expressing their joy in the outcome. They expressed gratitude to the court for carefully reviewing the facts of the case and analyzing the evidence provided.
‘We’re very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants: Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath, Steve Sarowitz, Melissa Nathan, and Jennifer Abel,’ Shapiro and Bach said. Furthermore, they added that Livel’s lawsuit has been significantly narrowed and they look forward to presenting their defense againts the charges before the court as reported by The Daily Mail.
Blake Lively’s Team Claims The Case Was A Ploy Against Her Reputation
Lively’s legal team made their statement before Baldoni broke his silence concerning their victory. Sigrid McCawley, a member of the actress’s legal representatives, said that despite the outcome, the case will remain focused on the “he extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation.”
McCawley also explained that their team is aimed at bringing justice to people who have targeted several women and digitally attacked them. Lively hopes are not diminished as she looks forward to testifying at trial and shedding light on online retaliation. Judge Liman, in his ruling, trashed the sexual harassment claims based on the fact that Lively did not sign the legal contracts she cited in her claim, hence they were unenforceable.
Reportedly, she did not sign the Actor Loanout Agreement, or ALA, which would have governed sexual harassment on set. Lively’s team also noted in their statement that the reason the sexual harassment claims got thrown out is that the court deemed the actress an independent contractor rather than an employee, and not because the defendants did nothing wrong.
The Case Was Faced With Issues Of Logistics
The Blast reported that before the judge ruled on the case, which left Lively with just three claims to bring to trial, there were rising issues about the jurisdiction under which the actress filed the lawsuit.
She filed her complaints under California laws, but the incidents she cited admittedly occurred outside of the state. Lively also reportedly had thoughts about whether all thirteen charges would see the light of day in court.
The actress filed a letter to Judge Liman where she urged him to allow the lawsuit run its course and not end through another legal means. Her legal team stated that if the case were struck out before getting to trial, the evidence gathered would not be presented, and this would defeat the purpose of a fair and efficient resolution.
The Trial Kicks Off In May
The co-stars will get the chance to defend their claims when the trial starts in May. It is uncertain if the trial would be swift with the latest development of the case having the number of charges greatly reduced. Baldoni and Lively had a six-hour settlement conference last month with their legal representatives, but since no agreement was reached, the case has moved ahead.
Legal experts who have weighed in on the situation hint at a chance that the screen stars may consider negotiating and ultimately find a middle ground. While the silent whispers of a settlement are ongoing, both teams are gearing up for the big day in mid-May.
Preparing pre-trial motions, accumulating evidence to be presented, and testimonies are already in the works. As shared by The Blast, the stakes are high; Lively is seeking $500 million in damages for the campaign Baldoni allegedly launched against her.
Hollywood Icons Were Dragged Into Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni’s Battle
As part of the discovery, a series of emails and text messages from the actress were released. The lengthy 181 pages of the document held the names of many big names in the industry, including conversations that spiced up the drama.
The Blast shared that the documents released during the Lively and the producer’s deposition included Taylor Swift, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Jennifer Lopez. Most of the Hollywood stars are reportedly frustrated that their names have been dragged into the legal mess. The attention, drama, public speculation, and aftermath have reportedly caused worry for Damon and Affleck.
Swift’s reputation also got caught in the heat, and her relationship with the “It Ends With Us” has taken a fall. Insiders close to the Grammy-winner shared that Lively is now uninvited to Swift’s wedding, stating that her trust in the actress has been broken. Other stars have distanced themselves from Lively and the ongoing fiasco.
How would things end between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni?