Blake Lively secures major win after dragging Justin Baldoni back to court
Published June 13, 2026
Blake Lively has secured a victory after reigniting her long-running legal fight with Justin Baldoni.
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, a federal judge has ruled that Baldoni must cover the actress' legal fees tied to his dismissed $400 million defamation lawsuit against her.
While the court sided with Lively on legal fees, the actress did not succeed in her request for triple damages and punitive damages. However, the ruling leaves the door open for her to pursue damages through other legal avenues in the future.
Lively's attorneys, Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, celebrated the decision in a statement, paying thanks to California’s laws that “create a path for survivors to hold accountable those who weaponise online attacks and retaliatory lawsuits to intimidate and silence survivors.”
The legal battle began when Lively sued her It Ends With Us co-star in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment. Baldoni denied the allegations and responded with a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively, Reynolds and Sloane of defamation and extortion.
Just before their trial in May, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement. However, the Gossip Girl alum reignited the legal battle shortly afterwards by demanding that the Jane the Virgin star pay her legal fees.
