Overview

• U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman granted Wallace’s motion to dismiss without prejudice, ruling that his Texas-based firm had insufficient contacts with New York to support personal jurisdiction.
• The dismissal gives Lively until July 31 to file an amended complaint or pursue Wallace in a different jurisdiction.
• Lively’s deposition, originally scheduled for July 17, has been postponed to July 31 to accommodate any amended filings.
• Her overarching suit against director Justin Baldoni and his PR team, which alleges sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign, remains on track for a March 2026 trial.
• Wallace had filed a defamation counterclaim in Texas seeking a declaration that he played no role in any smear efforts, illustrating the mutual legal escalation.