It seemed Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal saga was over after they released a joint statement in May confirming they’d reached a settlement. Yet it was later reported that Lively would pursue damages and legal fees from Baldoni and co. The two It Ends with Us co-stars eventually headed back to court and, this past week, it was reported that Lively had won her bid to have her attorneys’ fees paid but not the damages. Baldoni’s lawyer has since weighed in on that partial victory, which he doesn’t see as a massive win for Lively.
Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively (38) was entitled to having her legal costs covered, and he based that rationale on a 2023 California law. That legislation is meant to shield those who make claims of sexual abuse from any retaliation-based defamation lawsuits, per Variety. However, Liman did not rule in favor of the Rhythm Section star’s appeal for punitive damages and triple damages, because those do not fall under the federal law. Nevertheless, Lively and co. expressed satisfaction with the result.
