Judge Grants Discovery Stay in Justin Baldoni's Defamation Case Against The New York Times

The court will review The New York Times' motion to dismiss allegations of collusion and defamation in Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman approved a stay on discovery in Justin Baldoni's defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, allowing the court to review the motion to dismiss.
The New York Times is accused of collaborating with actress Blake Lively to publish a defamatory article alleging Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign following her sexual harassment claims.
The judge noted that The New York Times' motion to dismiss showed substantial grounds for dismissal and emphasized First Amendment protections for the newspaper's reporting.
The lawsuit stems from a December 2024 article detailing Lively's accusations against Baldoni during the filming of 'It Ends With Us,' which Baldoni directed and co-starred in.
Baldoni has denied all allegations, filed additional lawsuits against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, and claims the newspaper acted with malice in its reporting.