Justin Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has issued a firm response regarding reports that they 'missed a filing deadline' in their £329 million ($400 million) defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively.
In a statement shared directly with IBTimes, Freedman said that the recent media coverage has 'completely' distorted what occurred procedurally in court. While a Manhattan judge did enter final judgment after no amended complaint was filed, Baldoni's legal team maintains that the decision was intentional, not an oversight, and is part of their legal strategy moving forward.
The company says Baldoni remains committed to pursuing its claims in the case.
Baldoni's Team Slams Media Reports of 'Missing a Deadline'
Earlier this week, a Manhattan federal judge officially closed the lawsuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and the New York Times. The case, tied to a controversy from Baldoni and Lively's 2024 film it Ends With Us, was originally dismissed in June after the court ruled that Baldoni's claims of defamation and extortion were legally insufficient.
The plaintiffs were given the option to revise and resubmit their filing. After no amended complaint appeared by the October deadline, the judge moved to final judgement.
This outcome was widely interpreted as a procedural win for Lively, which is her second legal victory in the dispute.
However, Wayfarer insists the dismissal does not signal surrender.
In a statement by Freedman, through the actor's PR company, Wayfarer Studios, Baldonis' team clarified earlier headlines suggesting their side simply 'missed' a crucial court deadline.
Freedman said the idea that the case ended because the plaintiffs failed to act was inaccurate. Instead, he explained that Baldoni and his co-plaintiffs made a strategic choice not to amend their complaint at this stage so they could preserve their right to appeal the dismissal later.
'At this point, we have to set the record straight: no deadlines were missed. Our clients chose not to amend their complaint to preserve appeal rights', the statement read.
Baldoni's lawyer added that media outlets framing the legal update as negligence or abandonment was 'a total mischaracterisation', noting that the case is still active in other respects.
Despite the closure of the defamation lawsuit, with Lively, Reynolds, and the New York Times as the accused, there is still one active case.
Freedman emphasised that, for now, the legal focus is Lively's ongoing sexual harassment claims against Baldoni, which will move forward separately in federal court.
'In the meantime, we are focusing on Ms. Lively's claims. We remain fully committed to pursuing the truth through every legal and factual avenue available and look forward to our day in court', Freedman concluded.
Baldoni vs Lively: What Happens Next?
Though the dismissal represents a public-facing win for Lively, Baldoni still retains the right to appeal, but only after the court decides whether Lively will be entitled to recover legal fees. That process, however, may take several months.
One active lawsuit is Lively's. Filed in Manhattan federal court, the actress accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, and orchestrating a smear campaign during and after the production of it Ends With Us.
This case is not affected by the dismissal of Baldoni's claims. However, legal experts say the dismissal weakens Baldoni's position going forward, as it undercuts his attempts to portray himself as the victim.
The next hearings are expected to take place in the Southern District of New York. While no trial date has been set yet, the case will likely move into discovery, where both sides must turn over records, messages, emails, and other evidence.
