Overview

• Lively’s attorneys formally requested to drop her intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress counts against Baldoni in recent court filings.
• Baldoni’s legal team had moved to compel Lively to sign a HIPAA release for access to her medical and therapy records as part of discovery.
• Lively’s lawyers called the withdrawal a routine litigation tactic to focus the lawsuit, while Baldoni’s counsel argued she was dodging disclosure and preserving the right to refile.
• Key allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation in Lively’s suit remain active, and Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds and their publicist continues.
• The case is headed for a federal trial in March 2026, with judges set to rule on whether the distress claims can be dismissed permanently and on any forced record disclosures.