It all got messy after that New York Times piece dropped the bombshell about Blake Lively's allegations against Justin Baldoni. He'd filed two huge lawsuits – one demanding $400 million from Blake, Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, and another $250 million defamation suit against the Times. They were trying to fight back against the claims that he'd harassed and retaliated against Lively while filming 'It Ends With Us'.
The public reaction was a real mix, with folks picking sides pretty quickly after he released some unedited film footage. But now, a federal judge has thrown out both of Baldoni's massive lawsuits. That's a big setback for his legal team.
Here's the lowdown on why the judge sided with Blake: First, anything someone says in a legal complaint is protected under US law – it's considered privileged speech. So the judge ruled Blake couldn't be sued for what she wrote in her complaint against Baldoni. Second, for the defamation case against the Times, the judge found Baldoni's team hadn't shown they believed Blake's claims were false or even seriously doubted them. Proving defamation requires showing you knew the statement was false.
While the judge dismissed the main parts of Baldoni's case, he gave his team until June 23rd to try and refile a couple of smaller claims. Blake's legal team is calling this a "total victory" and "complete vindication." They're saying the $400 million lawsuit was a sham and are looking forward to getting attorneys' fees from Baldoni.
The New York Times has defended its reporting, calling it "meticulously and responsibly reported." Just days before the ruling, Blake dropped her emotional distress claims against Baldoni. Her team said his lawyers had demanded access to her private therapy notes and medical records, calling it a "press stunt." They stressed the core of her case was about harassment and retaliation.
Now, after the judge's decision, Blake came out with a statement. She said she's "more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves." Baldoni and his team still have that June 23rd deadline to try and revise their smaller claims. The public will definitely be watching to see what happens next.