Blake Lively Secures Legal Win in Justin Baldoni Dispute

WHO:

US Magazine - Justin Baldoni's attorney is Bryan Freedman.

Variety - Blake Lively is the plaintiff in the legal dispute against Justin Baldoni.

WHAT:

Variety - A judge ruled that Blake Lively is entitled to recover her attorneys' fees.

Variety - The judge, Lewis Liman, ordered Wayfarer Studios to pay Lively's attorneys' fees related to Baldoni's defamation suit.

Variety - Lively's motion for triple damages and punitive damages was denied by the judge.

Variety - Lively had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation.

Variety - Baldoni's defamation lawsuit against Lively was dismissed a year ago.

WHERE:

Variety - The case was set to go to trial in federal court in New York.

WHEN:

US Magazine - The statement from Bryan Freedman was made on June 12.

Variety - The judge's ruling occurred on a Friday, with the case having settled in May.

WHY:

Variety - The ruling was based on a 2023 California law designed to protect sexual abuse accusers from retaliatory defamation suits.

Variety - Lively's team stated that the ruling confirmed she acted in good faith and was a prevailing defendant.

HOW:

Variety - Lively's claims were protected under the litigation privilege, leading to the dismissal of Baldoni's lawsuit.

Variety - The parties agreed to abide by the judge's ruling on the fee motion and not to appeal as part of their settlement.

(UPDATED June 13, 2026 06:23 UTC)

In a significant legal development, a judge has ruled that Blake Lively is entitled to recover her attorneys' fees in her legal dispute against Justin Baldoni, with Wayfarer Studios ordered to cover those costs. Although Lively's motion for triple and punitive damages was denied, the ruling confirmed her claims were protected under a California law aimed at safeguarding sexual abuse accusers from retaliatory defamation suits. The parties have agreed to abide by the judge's decision regarding the fee motion and will not appeal, marking a resolution to a case that had previously seen Baldoni's defamation lawsuit dismissed.