A federal judge just dismissed Justin Baldoni’s case against Blake Lively (ugh) and The New York Times—meaning the Times won’t face any accountability for what appears to be a coordinated hit job on Baldoni’s reputation.
The ruling cited “fair report privilege,” which allows media outlets to parrot legal filings without consequence—even if the claims are exaggerated, misleading, or, as Baldoni alleges, completely false.
Lively filed a complaint about Baldoni with the state of California and someone conveniently “leaked it” to the New York Times. The Times ran with it, doing no investigation before publishing it in a MeToo-style takedown clearly aimed at destroying his career. The court ruled that was perfectly fine and – so they’ll likely do it again.
The courts usually give wide latitude to journalists to protect the freedom of the press but this creates a loophole for character assassination. The court ruled that was not their problem. The law protected the institution, not the individual. It is a gift to weaponized media—and a warning to anyone who thinks due process exists once your name hits the headlines.
Baldoni can still appeal the ruling or refile with narrower claims. Lively’s lawyers are already doing a victory lap and say they’ll seek legal fees. Meanwhile, her case against Baldoni is still moving forward—with a trial set for March 2026.
