The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has taken a significant turn and it’s not in the actress’s favour anymore. According to recent reports, a new court ruling, Judge Lewis Liman has shut down Blake Lively’s claims of emotional distress, stating that unless her team formally withdraws them, they can no longer present any evidence supporting those allegations.
What Did The Judge Say In Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Drama?
This decision comes after weeks of heated exchanges between the two parties. Justin Baldoni’s legal team had earlier asked for access to Lively’s medical records to defend against the emotional distress claims, arguing that her refusal to hand them over undermined her case. In response, Lively’s lawyers made it clear that she intended to drop those particular claims in order to streamline the ongoing litigation. However, they requested the court allow them to do so without prejudice, meaning they could potentially refile the claims in the future.
Judge Liman wasn’t convinced and hence in his written ruling, he denied Blake Lively’s request to drop the claims without prejudice, stating that if she didn’t formally dismiss them, she would not be allowed to bring up any emotional distress evidence later. In essence, the judge made it clear: Lively must either strike a deal with Baldoni’s team to drop the claims permanently or file a motion with the court to do so. Until then, this claim is officially closed.
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Blake Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, described Baldoni’s push for medical records as unnecessary and said their decision to drop the claims was made in good faith. They maintain that Lively was simply trying to narrow the case down to its core issues, not hide anything. The ruling adds another layer to a legal feud that’s been escalating since late last year. In December, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, her It Ends With Us co-star and director, accusing him of misconduct on set and a damaging smear campaign. Baldoni responded with a countersuit in January, mentioning Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and their publicists for alleged extortion and defamation.
With the latest ruling, the momentum appears to be shifting toward Baldoni. While the overall case continues, the emotional distress component, once a central part of Lively’s complaint, has been effectively sidelined, unless she can make a successful formal appeal.
The trial is still scheduled for March 2026, and with high-profile names and serious allegations on both sides.
Also Read: Blake Lively Drops Claims Of Emotional Distress Against Justin Baldoni In Ongoing Lawsuit