Blake Lively Drops Mental Anguish Charges Against Justin Baldoni: A Twist in the Ongoing Drama
Justin Baldoni faces reduced allegations from Blake Lively; two charges dropped.
The rollercoaster ride of accusations between actress Blake Lively and her co-star Justin Baldoni takes another unexpected turn. The "Gossip Girl" star is reportedly set to retract two allegations against Baldoni involving mental anguish.
According to a recent report in "Variety," the allegations in question are related to "intentional infliction of mental anguish" and "negligent infliction of mental anguish." Baldoni's team is eager to study the medical records to build a robust defense against the claim that he inflicted severe psychological harm. They also seek access to therapy notes and other relevant documents from Lively's medical records.
However, Lively's lawyers, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, have pointed out that the request by Baldoni’s side is nothing more than a strategically planned publicity stunt intended to complicate the case rather than seeking genuine clarification. They aim to streamline the proceedings and focus on the core issues at hand, stressing that mental anguish will still be addressed in other aspects of the lawsuit.
Amidst this turmoil, it's common practice in U.S. court proceedings to request medical records when confronted with such allegations. The Lively-Baldoni dispute, initially stemming from the filming of "It Ends with Us," has led to six lawsuits thus far.
Originally filed in December 2023, Lively filed a complaint with the California agency for civil rights and a subsequent lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and a smear campaign. Baldoni denies the allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion. The trial is currently scheduled for March 2026.
Sources: ntv.de, als/spot
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[1] Lively's decision to withdraw the emotional distress claims is not a definitive move and the claims could potentially be re-filed in the future.[2] The federal judge, Lewis J. Liman, has ruled in favor of Baldoni, stating that the claims cannot be dismissed without prejudice unless both parties reach a mutual agreement. To proceed with the dismissal, Lively's legal team would need to file a formal motion.
I'm not sure if Lively will re-file the emotional distress claims against Baldoni in the future. The federal judge has ruled that the claims cannot be dismissed without prejudice unless both parties reach a mutual agreement.
