The It Ends With Us case just received a major update as the judge dismissed Blake Lively’s claims against Justin Baldoni, tossing out her allegations of sexual harassment in a 162-page ruling on April 2.
Judge Lewis J. Liman threw out 10 of the 13 claims, allowing only three claims to proceed to trial, including breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. However, her claims of defamation, conspiracy, and harassment against Baldoni were thrown away.
Liman wrote in the ruling, saying, “None of these acts or occurrences provides the ‘substantial connection’ to California needed to sustain Lively’s sexual harassment claims.” He added: “The Court therefore grants judgment on Counts Three and Thirteen of the SAC because those claims lack a sufficient nexus to California. That means that both Lively’s federal and state claims of sexual harassment fail to survive the Wayfarer Parties’ motions for summary judgment on the pleadings.”
Lively, 38, and Baldoni, 42, have been battling in court since 2024 after Lively filed a lawsuit against him that alleged sexual harassment in December of that year. However, the It Ends With Us co-star countersued with a $400 million lawsuit against her, which was dismissed in October.
“Sexual harassment isn’t going forward, not because the defendants did nothing wrong, but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee,” said Lively’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, in a statement to Daily Express U.S.
McCawley continued in a response to the ruling, saying, “This case has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set, and that is the case that is going to trial.”
“For Blake Lively, the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted. She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight.”
On the other side, Baldoni’s legal team is rejoicing about the news, with his attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, and Jonathan Bach saying in a statement, “We’re very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants: Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath, Steve Sarowitz, Melissa Nathan, and Jennifer Abel.”
“These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law, and voluminous evidence that was provided.” The statement continues, saying, “What’s left is a significantly narrowed case, and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”
According to the judge, he did not make this decision on whose account is “more credible”, as he did not need that at this stage. “The question is whether Lively has provided more than a mere ‘scintilla’ of evidence to support her claim such that a reasonable jury viewing the evidence in her favor could find that the Wayfarer Parties took adverse employment action against her because of her protected activities. The evidence here, viewed favorably to Lively, passes this test.”
Liman ordered both parties to engage in settlement talks, but it was unsuccessful. That being said, everybody involved in the Lively v. Baldoni case is expected in court in front of Liman and the jury in late May.