Blake Lively has stepped forward to make a shocking legal move in her ongoing battle with Justin Baldoni.
As per PEOPLE, the Gossip Girl star has officially dropped her claims of infliction of emotional distress against her It Ends With Us co-star.
On Monday, court documents obtained by the outlet disclosed that Lively requested to withdraw claims that she suffered from “intentional infliction of emotional distress” and “negligent infliction of emotional distress” as a result of Baldoni’s alleged misconduct on their film set.
Lively made her strategic move soon after Baldon’s legal team urged her to sign a release form for them to access her medical and mental health records.
In the last year's lawsuit, Baldoni’s attorneys insisted the records were key to evaluating the actress’s allegations of emotional distress.
“Instead of complying with the Medical RFPs, Ms. Lively’s counsel recently advised us, in writing, that Ms. Lively is withdrawing her [infliction of emotional distress] Claims,” Baldoni’s team responded in a filing.
Notably, the court will decide if Lively’s request will be approved or not , but the Another Simple Favor shared a statement that her request was “a routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt.”
“We are doing what trial lawyers do: preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it,” adding that Baldoni’s team was “desperately seeking” media attention.
“The Baldoni-Wayfarer strategy of filing retaliatory claims has exposed them to expansive new damages claims under California law, rendering certain of Ms. Lively’s original claims no longer necessary,” the statement continued.
“Ms. Lively continues to allege emotional distress, as part of numerous other claims in her lawsuit, such as sexual harassment and retaliation, and massive additional compensatory damages on all of her claims.”
Justin Baldoni's legal war with Blake Lively:
Last December, Blake Lively sued Wayfarer Studios and Justin Baldoni of sexually harassing her during filming of It Ends With Us and she claims that he stirred a negative publicity campaign against her.
However, Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane, accusing them of defamation and extortion.
The trial between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively is set to begin next year.
