Justin Baldoni Seeks to Prevent Blake Lively Trial
Justin Baldoni is attempting to prevent a federal trial regarding allegations made by Blake Lively. His legal team has filed for a motion for summary judgment in response to Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit. This legal action is set for March of the following year.
Details of the Lawsuit
Blake Lively has accused Baldoni, her co-star in the film “It Ends With Us,” along with several producers and publicists, of retaliatory actions following her complaints about conduct on set. She claims that this retaliation manifested as a social media smear campaign, where she was labeled a “bully” and a “mean girl” by Instagram users.
Baldoni’s Legal Response
- Baldoni’s lawyers assert that Lively’s allegations are simply “minor grievances” and do not justify a harassment claim.
- They argue that the actions taken by Baldoni were merely defensive measures to protect his professional reputation.
- His legal team highlights that seeking advice from a crisis-management firm is a standard practice in such situations.
According to Baldoni’s attorneys, these actions are legally permissible and should not be construed as retaliatory. They emphasize that he sought balanced media representation following the allegations made by Lively.
Evidence and Text Messages
Lively’s representatives have presented text messages from Baldoni’s publicists. These messages demonstrate a close monitoring of the social media discourse surrounding their public dispute. They also indicate attempts to amplify positive posts concerning Baldoni while criticizing Lively.
Previous Legal Actions
In an ironic twist, Baldoni and his associates had previously pursued a defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. This suit was tossed out, with the court ruling that Baldoni could not sue someone for responding to a legal claim against him.
Other Related Lawsuits
- A separate lawsuit was filed by social media expert Jed Wallace against Lively in Texas. He claimed Lively damaged his reputation by linking him to Baldoni’s purported smear attempts.
- However, this complaint was dismissed due to jurisdiction issues, as the court determined it did not have authority over Lively based in New York.
- Similarly, Lively’s claims against Wallace were also dismissed in New York on jurisdictional grounds.
The legal proceedings involving Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively continue to unfold as both sides prepare for the upcoming trial.
