EXCLUSIVE: It Hasn't Ended! Blake Lively Suffers Fresh Legal Blow After Being Denied Millions in Damages in Justin Baldoni Battle
Blake Lively came up short in her bid for millions in additional damages against Justin Baldoni after a federal judge rejected her request.
June 12 2026, Published 6:11 p.m. ET
Blake Lively came up short in her bid for millions in additional damages against Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios after a federal judge rejected her request for treble and punitive damages, even as he awarded her attorneys' fees and costs, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by us, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman handed the actress a split decision, granting her motion for attorneys' fees under California Civil Code Section 47.1 while denying her request for enhanced financial penalties.
Split Decision
The ruling marks one of the final chapters in the blockbuster legal war between Lively and Baldoni, whose public feud over It Ends With Us has generated headlines for years.
The ruling marks one of the final chapters in the blockbuster legal war between Lively and Baldoni, whose public feud over It Ends With Us has generated headlines for years.
As Radar previously reported, Lively carved out her fight for attorneys' fees from the parties’ broader settlement agreement, leaving the issue for Judge Liman to resolve even after the underlying litigation came to an end.
On Friday, the judge concluded that Lively was entitled to recover her attorneys' fees and litigation costs, finding her statements fell within the protections of California Civil Code Section 47.1 and writing that she "prevailed on her defense" and that "there is no evidence of malice."
Lively Failed To Secure The Broader Financial Recovery
The split decision means Lively will be able to recover the legal fees she incurred defending herself.
But while the ruling represented a legal victory in one respect, Lively failed to secure the broader financial recovery she sought.
Judge Liman expressly denied her request for treble damages and punitive damages, refusing to award the additional penalties she had asked the court to impose.
The split decision means Lively will be able to recover the legal fees she incurred defending herself, but will not receive the enhanced damages that could have dramatically increased the financial stakes of the dispute.
Unresolved Issues Left Behind
While the judge found that attorneys’ fees fit within that statutory framework, he determined treble and punitive damages were not warranted.
The opinion also explains that California Civil Code Section 47.1 was enacted to protect individuals who speak publicly about alleged sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination from retaliatory defamation lawsuits and to ensure prevailing defendants can recover the costs of defending themselves.
While the judge found that attorneys’ fees fit within that statutory framework, he determined treble and punitive damages were not warranted under the circumstances presented in Lively’s motion.
The latest ruling closes one of the last unresolved issues left behind after Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement in their sprawling legal battle.
No Multimillion-Dollar Outcome for Lively
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For Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, avoiding those enhanced damages represents a notable win.
Although both sides can point to aspects of Friday’s decision as victories, the denial of treble and punitive damages means Lively leaves court with significantly less than the sweeping financial recovery she originally pursued.
For Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, avoiding those enhanced damages represents a notable win, even as the court ordered they remain responsible for Lively’s attorneys’ fees and costs.
In the end, Judge Liman’s ruling gave Lively reimbursement for her legal expenses, but stopped well short of delivering the multimillion-dollar outcome she had hoped to achieve, handing both sides a measure of victory as one of Hollywood’s most contentious courtroom sagas nears its conclusion.
