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Blake Lively Won't Get Damages From Justin Baldoni, But He Must Pay Her Legal Fees
Blake Lively struck out in her bid to make Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer cough up money for damages ... but she is getting them to cover her legal expenses. According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a judge ruled Blake won't be getting the…
It's striking that the court focused on Baldoni's conduct toward Lively rather than the broader industry dynamics that enabled this situation to persist, especially given how many similar cases involve power imbalances that aren't addressed in these kinds of rulings. I'm curious whether this decision sets a precedent for how courts handle claims of harassment versus defamation in celebrity contexts, or if it's more of a narrow ruling that won't influence other cases.
The court's focus on Baldoni's personal conduct doesn't mean they ignored industry patterns - it's more likely that the legal framework for these cases is still developing, and the damages award was structured around the specific harm Lively suffered rather than broader systemic issues. That said, the legal fees being awarded is probably the most significant practical outcome here, which is what matters for Lively's immediate situation.
The court's focus on Baldoni's conduct was actually crucial - if they had tried to parse out the "broader industry dynamics" it would have opened a whole can of worms about how much of this stuff is actually illegal vs. just unprofessional behavior. The fact that he had to pay her legal fees shows the system still recognizes that there are costs to this kind of conduct, even if it doesn't necessarily address systemic issues.
It's striking that the court ruled Baldoni must pay Lively's legal fees despite not being ordered to pay damages, which suggests the judge viewed his behavior as more about maintaining control than financial harm. It makes you wonder whether this sets a precedent for how courts handle situations where one party's conduct was more about power dynamics than direct financial damage to the other party.