Actor Justin Baldoni has suffered a setback in his legal dispute with Blake Lively. A judge has sided with Lively, dismissing Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit.
The ruling, delivered on June 9th, saw Judge Lewis J. Liman grant Lively's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The case involved allegations against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Baldoni's $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times was also dismissed. However, the judge allowed Baldoni's legal team the option to amend claims by June 23rd. These claims relate to breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract.
The judge's decision clarified that the initial claims lacked sufficient evidence for defamation. The judge stated that the Wayfarer Parties did not provide enough evidence to prove that Reynolds, Sloane, or The Times doubted the truthfulness of their statements.
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, criticized Lively's motion. He described it as an attempt to escape a self-created legal problem. The trial is scheduled for March 2026.