Blake Full of life is declaring victory after a US federal decide dominated that Justin Baldoni should cowl her authorized charges tied to their high-profile It Ends With Us dispute, though the court docket denied her request for extra damages.
What the Decide Determined
On Friday, June 13, 2026, US District Decide Lewis J. Liman dominated that Full of life can get better authorized charges and prices associated to her protection towards Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit, which the court docket dismissed in June 2025.
The choice cited a California regulation defending sexual harassment survivors from retaliatory lawsuits meant to silence victims. Nonetheless, Decide Liman denied Full of life’s request for punitive damages, treble damages, and different reduction.
“Immediately’s ruling makes it clear that Ms. Full of life introduced her claims in good religion… and that she is the prevailing defendant,” her attorneys Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson informed Leisure Weekly.
Each Sides Declare Victory
Full of life’s workforce referred to as the Might 2026 settlement a “resounding victory,” stating that Baldoni and co-defendants now “face private legal responsibility for abusing the authorized system to silence and intimidate Ms. Full of life.”
Baldoni’s legal professional Bryan Freedman disputed that characterization, calling it a “win and complete victory” for his shoppers. He famous the court docket had already dismissed 10 of Full of life’s 13 claims, together with “each sexual harassment declare, each defamation declare, and all claims towards the person defendants”.
Background: The It Ends With Us Authorized Battle
The dispute stems from the 2024 movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. Full of life filed swimsuit in December 2024 alleging sexual harassment and retaliation, claiming Baldoni spoke inappropriately about his intercourse life and tried so as to add unscripted intercourse scenes. She additionally alleged Baldoni waged a PR marketing campaign to wreck her status.
Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Full of life and husband Ryan Reynolds for extortion and defamation. Decide Liman dismissed Baldoni’s claims in June 2025 and struck down elements of Full of life’s complaints in April 2026.
The events settled on Might 4, 2026, avoiding a trial, though no settlement determine was disclosed. Either side agreed to not attraction Friday’s 47-page choice.
What’s Subsequent?
Whereas the precise quantity Baldoni owes stays undetermined, the ruling permits Full of life to pursue authorized charges below the 2023 California regulation designed to defend accusers from retaliatory defamation fits.
“Ms. Full of life is gratified that her lawsuit reveals how [the California law] and legal guidelines prefer it create a path for survivors to carry accountable those that weaponize on-line assaults and retaliatory lawsuits to intimidate and silence survivors,” her legal professionals mentioned.
It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million globally in 2024, turning into one of many 12 months’s greatest hits.
