UPDATE: 6/3/25 at 2:27 p.m. ET: One day after Blake Lively stated that she has no plans to drop claims of emotional distress against Justin Baldoni, the judge appointed to their ongoing legal dispute ruled that the issue is officially dead.
Judge Lewis Liman wrote in a letter obtained by Variety on Tuesday, June 3, that Baldoni’s motion to compel is denied “based on Plaintiff’s representation that the relevant claims will be withdrawn.” (Us Weekly has reached out to Baldoni’s team for comment.)
Baldoni and Lively’s respective legal teams have been going back and forth regarding the emotional distress issue after her initial claims were made. Baldoni’s team hit back with the now-denied motion to compel, attempting to force Lively to reveal her medical records.
Tuesday’s ruling denied the motion while also shutting down the possibility of Lively deciding to turn around and submit her medical records.
“The parties shall stipulate to whether the dismissal is with or without prejudice, or Lively shall renew her request by formal motion,” Liman’s letter read. “For avoidance of doubt, if the claims are not dismissed, the Court will preclude Lively from offering any evidence of emotional distress.”
Lively’s lawyer’s Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb offered a statement to Us following the ruling.
“The court denied Wayfarer’s motion. He told the parties to continue their discussions about the technicalities of how 2 of the 15 claims will be voluntarily dismissed. Ms. Lively has offered to dismiss those claims because they are no longer necessary, and she will continue to pursue emotional distress damages through other claims in her lawsuit, including sexual harassment and retaliation,” the statement read. “In addition, the Baldoni-Wayfarer strategy of filing retaliatory claims has exposed them to expansive damages under California law. This is exactly where both parties were before the Baldoni-Wayfarer Parties rushed to file this utterly pointless motion to compel, all searching for yet another press moment.”
Original story continues below:
Justin Baldoni’s team claims Blake Lively is seeking to remove her emotional distress claims against the It Ends With Us director amid their ongoing legal battle.
According to a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman obtained by Variety on Monday, June 2, Lively, 37, is attempting to withdraw claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress against Baldoni. The decision came after Baldoni’s legal team sought Lively’s medical records as part of discovery.
“Instead of complying with the Medical RFPs, Ms. Lively’s counsel recently advised us, in writing, that Ms. Lively is withdrawing her [infliction of emotional distress] Claims,” Baldoni’s team stated in the filing. “However, Ms. Lively has refused the Wayfarer Parties’ reasonable request that the withdrawal of such claims be with prejudice. She is only willing to withdraw her claims without prejudice. In other words, Ms. Lively wants to simultaneously: (a) refuse to disclose the information and documents needed to disprove that she suffered any emotional distress and/or that the Wayfarer Parties were the cause; and (b) maintain the right to re-file her IED Claims at an unknown time in this or some other court after the discovery window has closed.”
Per Variety, Baldoni’s lawyers want Lively to sign a HIPAA release for access to therapy notes and other relevant information.
“By alleging that she suffered physical and emotional injuries, Ms. Lively has placed her physical and mental condition at issue and, in turn, must produce relevant information and documents [including] psychiatric records,” the filing stated. “In other words, Ms. Lively has waived any doctor-patient privilege.”
Lively’s lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, however, denied Baldoni’s team’s claims in a statement to Us Weekly.
“Once again this is a routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt. We are doing what trial lawyers do: preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it; they are doing what they do: desperately seeking another tired round of tabloid coverage,” the statement read. “The Baldoni-Wayfarer strategy of filing retaliatory claims has exposed them to expansive new damages claims under California law, rendering certain of Ms. Lively’s original claims no longer necessary. Ms. Lively continues to allege emotional distress, as part of numerous other claims in her lawsuit, such as sexual harassment and retaliation, and massive additional compensatory damages on all of her claims.”
Us has reached out to Baldoni for comment.
Lively and Baldoni’s legal issues began in December 2024. Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing her It Ends With Us director and costar of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and orchestrating an alleged smear campaign against her.
Baldoni has denied the allegations. He subsequently filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane, accusing them of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy and more. They have denied the claims and requested for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
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