Blake Lively's Legal Battles: A Defeat Too Close To Call
SCANDAL ALERT: Blake Lively's Legal Drama May Not Be Over Yet!
The drama is far from over for Hollywood superstar Blake Lively, who thought she had dodged a bullet when a judge dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against her. But well-connected lawyers speaking exclusively to The Scholarly Note claim that Lively may still have a long and winding road ahead of her.
For six months, the 37-year-old actress has been at the center of a storm sparked by her decision to sue her former co-star and director Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on the set of their film It Ends With Us. But now, it seems that Lively's own legal woes may be far from over.
"I don't think this will be over any time soon," said veteran trial attorney Omar Serrato. "I think we have a long way to go." And he's not alone in his assessment. Top Los Angeles celebrity lawyer Christopher Melcher agrees, saying that Lively's harassment case against Baldoni is weak and may ultimately collapse.
The drama began when Lively sued Baldoni, alleging that he had sexually harassed her on the set of their film. But Baldoni fought back, accusing Lively of defamation and extortion. The case has been marked by a series of bizarre twists and turns, including the revelation of a series of intimate texts between Lively and Baldoni.
"I'm grateful for all we've built so far," Lively wrote in a May 2023 email to Baldoni. "Thank you for caring so much and for putting every bit of you into showing it." But despite the warm words, Lively's team claims that Baldoni's behavior was anything but consensual.
And now, The Scholarly Note has learned that Judge Lewis J Liman's decision to dismiss Baldoni's defamation lawsuit with prejudice (meaning he cannot simply refile the allegations) may not be the final word. Serrato believes that Baldoni will likely appeal the ruling, and that Lively's own legal troubles are far from over.
"Judge Liman's decision was surprising," said Serrato. "It certainly feels like it may be in danger of appellate review." And if that's not enough to worry about, Lively's own lawyers have been hit with a motion to compel her to turn over her medical records as part of the case. It's a move that could ultimately sink her harassment claims.
Despite the setbacks, Lively's team remains defiant, saying that she will continue to fight for her rights. But Melcher believes that Judge Liman may be guiding both parties towards a resolution.
"They have inflicted damaging wounds against the other," he said. "The only thing they have to show for it are big legal bills, and now they really need to find a way out, because going forward in court is not a viable pathway for either one of them based on the rulings that they have suffered in the last week."
In the end, Melcher believes that Lively will choose to move her fight to the court of public opinion, where she can build her own narrative and try to salvage what's left of her reputation.
"She can now try to build her own narrative," he said. "With publicists, rather than doing it in a courtroom where she's subject to scrutiny and depositions and other questions that are nagging against the truth." And with that, The Scholarly Note will be watching Lively's next move with bated breath. Will she continue to fight for her rights, or will she opt for a quiet exit? Only time will tell.
