Blake Lively to Have Legal Fees Paid for by Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer
The Hollywood Reporter • • general
Key Points:
- A court ruled that Justin Baldoni must pay Blake Lively's legal fees but denied her claim for damages related to harm caused by his defamation allegations.
- The settlement last month ended Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against Lively without monetary compensation but allowed her to recover legal costs under a California law protecting sexual harassment victims from retaliatory defamation claims.
- U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman clarified that the California law provides a narrow exception to litigation rules, permitting legal fees but not compensatory or punitive damages in this context.
- The court affirmed Lively acted in good faith and without malice when reporting sexual misconduct, making her the prevailing defendant eligible for attorneys’ fees, which her legal team is now detailing for court assessment.
- Although damages were denied, the ruling leaves open the possibility for Lively to pursue additional damages through future legal action against Baldoni or related parties.