Court Ends Justin Baldoni's $400 Million Countersuit Against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds After Missed Deadline

On Oct. 31 U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman formally shut the door on Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation countersuit against Blake Lively. Baldoni, 41, and his Wayfarer Studios missed the deadline to file a revised complaint, prompting the judge to confirm the case's termination. The order came months after the lawsuit was initially dismissed in June, leaving the parties without recourse.

The judge's latest ruling closes part of the case as Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni continues toward a 2026 trial

A federal judge has officially moved to close out part of the ongoing It Ends With Us dispute sealing a judgment after notifying all parties on Oct. 17. Court papers obtained by PEOPLE show that 38‑year‑old Blake Lively was the respondent asking the court to enter the judgment while keeping her motion for fees alive. A request the judge approved.

A statement, from the U.S. District Court remains pending. Representatives, for both Lively and Justin Baldoni have been contacted for comment. This latest ruling adds another twist to a feud that began in December, when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of on‑set misconduct and a retaliatory smear campaign, allegations he continues to deny.

This year a $400 million countersuit he filed against Blake Lively her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist was tossed out, as reported by PEOPLE. His separate $250 million defamation case, against The New York Times faced the same dismissal. In the aftermath Lively posted a message on Instagram Story, laying bare the strain of the ordeal describing what it feels like to be targeted by a retaliatory lawsuit and reaffirming her commitment to stand with women who speak out about abuse and demand integrity in the workplace.

Her legal team hailed the ruling as a "vindication " while Baldoni's attorneys dismissed that narrative insisting their client had been defamed. Judge Liman earlier invoked California’s #MeToo protections determining that Lively's harassment allegations were legally shielded and could not serve as the basis, for a defamation claim. With the final judgment now. Portions of the case settled, Lively's lawsuit presses on with a trial slated for March 2026.

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