Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Justin Baldoni Seeks Summary Judgment to End Blake Lively Harassment Suit Before Trial

Baldoni contends the claims fall short of the legal standards for harassment, retaliation, damages.

Overview

  • In a 73-page motion filed Nov. 12–13, Baldoni and co-defendants asked U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman to dismiss Lively’s case, arguing no reasonable juror could find actionable misconduct or an adverse employment action.
  • The filing includes exhibits such as a deleted-scene video that Baldoni’s lawyers say shows Lively initiating an unscripted kiss, a point they argue undercuts her complaints about spontaneous intimacy; Lively’s side has not commented on the new clip.
  • Unsealed court documents show Lively is seeking about $161.2 million, including roughly $56.2 million in lost earnings, $71 million in lost profits, plus an estimated $34 million for reputational harm tied to alleged online amplification.
  • Recent rulings have trimmed related litigation: Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Lively and $250 million case against The New York Times were dismissed earlier this year, and a Texas defamation suit by Jed Wallace against Lively was tossed for lack of jurisdiction, as were Lively’s New York claims against Wallace.
  • The judge has not ruled on the summary-judgment bid; the case remains set for a March 2026 trial in Manhattan, with high-profile potential witnesses listed in filings, including Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.