A federal judge’s recent ruling has significantly bolstered protections for sexual harassment accusers, as Justin Baldoni’s US$400-million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively was dismissed. Judge Lewis J. Liman’s decision on Monday affirmed that Lively’s accusations were legally privileged, thus safeguarding her from Baldoni’s libel claims and strengthening the legal framework for reporting harassment.
The court’s opinion explicitly stated that Lively’s statements in her complaint were privileged, rendering them immune to Baldoni’s defamation claims. Additionally, Baldoni’s attempts to allege extortion against Lively, concerning her purported control over the film’s creative aspects, were rejected as not meeting California’s legal criteria. This comprehensive rejection of Baldoni’s key arguments marks a substantial win for Lively.
The dismissal also extended to The New York Times, which Baldoni had sued for libel. The judge found no evidence that the newspaper acted with malice or doubted the truth of the sexual misconduct allegations it reported, upholding the fair report privilege for journalists. This aspect of the ruling protects media outlets reporting on legal and public interest matters.
Lively’s legal team expressed profound satisfaction, calling the dismissal a “total victory and complete vindication” for all parties dragged into what they termed a “retaliatory lawsuit.” They are now pursuing attorney’s fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties, emphasizing that the initial lawsuit was an “abusive litigation” designed to silence Lively.