Blake Lively has defended her request for a jury trial in the ongoing legal dispute with Justin Baldoni, as the case moves closer to its scheduled May trial date.
On Thursday, the Gossip Girl star filed a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Her legal team referenced a recent federal appeals court decision they believe strengthens the case to keep the lawsuit active.
Earlier this week, the decision was issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which said a court should avoid dismissing a case purely over the phrasing of a complaint when evidence has already been obtained.
Lively’s attorneys wrote that dismissing a complaint at that stage “would hardly serve the efficient or just resolution of disputes” if evidence gathered during the case could offer enough evidence to support the claims.
Justin Baldoni and other defendants have asked the judge to dismiss Blake Lively’s claims through several legal motions, including a request for summary judgment, which asks the court to decide the case based on existing evidence instead of going to trial.
Meanwhile, the Green Lantern starlet’s lawyers submit the motion in a court that the case should be proceeded and evaluated using the full record of evidence collected during the lawsuit.
To note,in December 2024, Blake Lively sued her It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation—claims he denies. She is seeking over $160 million in damages.
Baldoni later filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively of extortion and defamation, but the judge dismissed it.
