Blake Lively Drops Emotional Distress Claims in Fiery Legal Battle with Justin Baldoni
So, here’s the latest dramatic turn in the legal showdown between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni—and it’s a big one. Blake Lively has officially dropped two major claims in her lawsuit against Baldoni: intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Now, why would she back away from something so central to her case? It all seems to revolve around one sensitive issue: her medical records.
Baldoni’s legal team had been pressing hard to get access to those records—specifically, therapy notes and documentation that might show the emotional and psychological impact she claims she suffered. That’s pretty standard in cases like this where emotional harm is alleged. But rather than allow that level of discovery, Lively decided to abandon those specific claims—at least for now.
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Here’s the twist, though: she wants to drop them without prejudice . That means she could potentially refile those exact claims at any point down the road. Naturally, Baldoni’s team isn’t having it. They’ve pushed back, saying she can’t just pull the plug to avoid discovery and still keep the door open to bring those claims back later. According to their recent court filing, if she really wants out of those claims, she needs to dismiss them with prejudice —as in, for good.
Lively’s camp fired back quickly, calling the move a "press stunt" and saying they’re simply “streamlining” the case. Her lawyers insist the emotional distress hasn’t disappeared altogether—it’s still part of her larger claims, like sexual harassment and retaliation. So she’s not walking away from the idea that Baldoni harmed her emotionally, she’s just shifting the focus.
Meanwhile, Baldoni is still countersuing for a massive $400 million, alleging defamation and extortion, and claiming Lively tried to damage his career with a smear campaign. The entire saga now includes multiple lawsuits, subpoenas, and even brought Taylor Swift’s name into the mix. Remember that bizarre bit where Lively allegedly threatened to “unleash” Swift and Ryan Reynolds on Baldoni? Yeah, that’s part of this.
And let’s not forget the broader implications: by dropping those emotional distress claims now, Lively avoids having her mental health records opened up in court. But she also signals just how delicate and calculated this whole legal chess game has become. It's a strategy move, not a surrender.
The court still has to decide whether Lively must hand over those therapy records or if her withdrawal is enough to close that chapter. Either way, this lawsuit isn’t slowing down—it’s just evolving.
So, stay tuned. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned from this Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni legal drama, it’s that nothing is ever truly off the table.
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