The legal war between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continues to escalate, as a new battle unfolds over Lively’s emotional distress claim — one she might drop, but with strings attached.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, revealed in a letter to the judge that Lively is considering withdrawing the emotional distress allegation from her lawsuit to avoid handing over her medical records. However, she wants to dismiss it without prejudice — meaning she could bring the claim back later.
Baldoni’s Team Pushes Back
Unsurprisingly, Baldoni’s legal team isn’t on board with that plan. They’re demanding that if the claim is withdrawn, it must be with prejudice, ensuring Lively cannot revive it in the future.
Freedman is now asking the judge to intervene, either by:
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- Forcing Lively to produce all medical records tied to her emotional distress claims,
or - Dismissing the claims entirely with prejudice, to prevent future re-litigation.
Lively’s Lawyers: “This Is Routine — Not Tabloid Fodder”
Blake’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, downplayed the latest legal maneuver, calling it:
“A routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt.”
They insist they are simply streamlining the case ahead of trial and claim Baldoni’s team is seeking “tired tabloid coverage.”
Importantly, they also emphasized:
“Ms. Lively continues to allege emotional distress as part of numerous other claims in her lawsuit, such as sexual harassment and retaliation.”
According to them, Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer, have exposed themselves to additional damages through their own counterclaims, making some of Lively’s original legal claims “no longer necessary.”
A Bitter Back-and-Forth from the Start
This latest twist is just one piece of a larger legal saga involving both stars, stemming from their work together on the film “It Ends With Us.”
- Lively accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and creating a toxic work environment.
- Baldoni fired back, alleging that Lively attempted to sabotage him and take over the production, even fabricating claims to do so.
What’s at Stake
This battle over whether Lively can exit and possibly reenter the emotional distress claim speaks to larger strategies on both sides:
- Lively’s team wants flexibility and privacy (especially over sensitive medical records).
- Baldoni’s team wants finality and protection from future legal ambushes.
With both actors accusing the other of professional misconduct and character assassination, the case is shaping up to be one of Hollywood’s messiest legal showdowns.
