BREAKING NEWSJustin Baldoni Refusing to Give Up Legal Battle With Blake Lively: 'Facts' Are 'on Our Side'
Justin Baldoni is refusing to give up his legal battle with Blake Lively.
Regardless of his lawsuits against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and The New York Times being dismissed, Justin Baldoni is refusing to throw in the towel.
“Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling,” his lawyer Bryan Freedman told a media outlet on June 10. “While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations. This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.”
'No Truer Today Than They Were Yesterday'
Bryan Freedman said Blake Lively's claims are 'no truer today than they were yesterday.'
“Most importantly, Ms. Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking," Freedman continued. "We are grateful for the organic show of support from the public and for the dedication of the Internet sleuth community who continue to cover the case with discernment and integrity.”
As OK! reported, on June 9, a judge threw out Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against Lively, Reynolds and their publicist. Baldoni's lawsuit against The New York Times for $250 million, which was about their piece on the sexual harassment allegations Lively made in her suit against him, was also dismissed.
The Judge's Filing
A judge dismissed Justin Baldoni's lawsuits against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist and 'The New York Times.'
"The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged," Judge Lewis J. Liman's filing read.
"The Wayfarer Parties have alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign," it continued. "But the Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Reynolds, Sloane or the Times would have seriously doubted these statements were true based on the information available to them, as is required for them to be liable for defamation under applicable law."
"The Wayfarer Parties’ additional claims also fail," the statement concluded. "Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety."
- Blake Lively's Lawyers Call Justin Baldoni's 'Desperate' $400 Million Lawsuit 'Another Chapter in the Abuser Playbook': 'It Will Fail'
- Blake Lively Scores Huge Win as 'It Ends With Us' Costar Justin Baldoni's $400 Million Countersuit Against Her Is Dismissed
- Read Justin Baldoni Lawyer's Cutting 10-Word Response to 'Diva' Blake Lively's S-- Lawsuit Bombshell
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Blake Lively's Statement
Blake Lively took to her Instagram Story to issue a statement after Justin Baldoni's lawsuit against her was dismissed.
After the lawsuit was dimissed, Lively took to her Instagram Story to issue a statement.
“Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,” the actress shared. “While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back.”
Alongside a list of organizations for women's rights, domestic violence and employment law, Lively noted she feels "more resolved than ever" to “stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves.”
“With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me,” she concluded. “Many of you I know. Many of you I don't. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you.”
Blake Filed to Dismiss Lawsuit From Justin
Blake Lively filed to dismiss her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni in March.
As OK! reported, on March 30, Lively filed to dismiss what she calls a "baseless" and "retaliatory" lawsuit from Baldoni.
"This lawsuit is a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court. California law now expressly prohibits suing victims who make the decision to speak out against sexual harassment or retaliation, whether in a lawsuit or in the press,” her attorneys said in a statement.
“This meritless and retaliatory lawsuit runs head first into three legal obstacles, including the litigation, fair report, and sexual harassment privileges, the latter of which contains a mandatory fee-shifting provision that will require the likes of … Wayfarer Studios, and others that brought frivolous defamation claims against Ms. Lively to pay damages. In other words, in an epic self-own, the Wayfarer Parties’ attempt to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ has only created more liability for them, and deservedly so, given what they have done," they added.
Lively's spokesperson also said she's dealing with the "painful reality" in "being sued for defamation after speaking up about being sexually harassed at work."
They added: "That is entirely why California recently enacted AB 933, the Privileged Communications Incident of Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Act, which codified California civil code section 47.1. While Ms. Lively has suffered greatly by speaking up and pursuing legal claims, it is important for other people to know that they have protections, and that there is a specific law that expressly protects them from being silenced or financially ruined by a defamation lawsuit because they had the courage to speak up."
