A federal judge has dismissed most of Blake Lively’s charges against Justin Baldoni, leaving just three issues to be decided at the trial on May 18, 2026. The judge dismissed 10 of her 13 charges, including sexual harassment, conspiracy and defamation.
Political commentator Candace Owens responded on her X.
Candice Owens responds
Owens posted on April 3, 2026: “Please congratulate me, Blake Lively, on the psychological accusations regarding Justin Baldoni’s firing. We worked hard on this. In the end, the truth won out.”
Her statement isn’t entirely surprising. In July 2025, Blake Lively reportedly subpoenaed Candace Owens over negative coverage of the actress, which Lively’s legal team said was part of a larger smear campaign. entertainment weekly Owens received a subpoena related to the report, the report said.
Owens denied being paid and said he was “offended” by the suggestion.
“I actually looked at the lawsuit in January when this all came out and I just thought you were a bad person. Honestly, I think from the bottom of my heart that you and Ryan are bad people. No one involved, no one involved, made me come to that conclusion,” she said on her YouTube channel.
What is the judge’s decision?
Judge Lewis Liman on Thursday dismissed Blake Lively’s lawsuit against her co-star and director, dismissing 10 of 13 claims.it ends with us, according to The Guardian. The dismissed charges included sexual harassment, conspiracy and defamation, meaning a much smaller number of cases are now going to trial.
The court will still hear three charges: breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18, 2026. The remainder of the case will focus on Lively’s accusation that Baldoni made a coordinated effort to spread negative stories about her online in retaliation for her comments.
Lively’s attorney, Sigrid McCauley, rejected the idea that the ruling was a failure.
“This case has been, and will continue to be, focused on the devastating revenge and extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she maintained security on set,” McCauley reportedly said in a statement. The Guardian.
She also explained that the sexual harassment charges were dismissed “not because the defendant did nothing wrong, but because the court determined that Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
Lively’s lawyers claim Baldoni was “consistently inappropriate” with their client, “kissed, nuzzled and touched” her without consent and made unwanted comments about her appearance and weight during filming.
