The technical reason Blake Lively’s harassment claim against Justin Baldoni was dismissed

Yesterday, a judge dismissed 10 of the 13 claims Blake Lively had made against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, including allegations of sexual harassment, defamation and conspiracy

The high-profile legal battle started in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign on the set of the Colleen Hoover adaptation. He denied the allegations and counter-sued.

Lively had claimed Baldoni made unsolicited comments about her appearance and weight, constituting sexual harassment. The sexual harassment claim has now been dismissed by Judge Lewis Liman, but the reason for the verdict is highly technical.

Why was Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claim against Baldoni dismissed?

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In a 152-page opinion piece, Judge Liman Lewis explained her reasons for dismissing so many of Lively’s allegations against Baldoni.

Among these was the fact Lively’s claims harassment under California law did not stand because the filming where the misconduct allegedly took place was in New Jersey.

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He wrote: “None of these acts or occurrences provides the ‘substantial connection’ to California needed to sustain Lively’s sexual harassment claims.”

As well as this, the judge ruled Lively was not eligible to bring particular claims of harassment and retaliation because she was an independent contractor, as opposed to an employee.

Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively’s legal team, told the CBS the case “has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy” Lively’s reputation.

She argued the sexual harassment claims were dismissed, “not because the defendants did nothing wrong,” but as a result of a technicality.

There are now only three active claims against Baldoni, which will go to civil trial on 18th May. They are breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation.

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Featured image via Instagram @blakelively and @justinbaldoni