Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal case will be heard in 2026. The two have filed lawsuit against each other over incidents that took place on the sets of their film It Ends With Us. 

A court will now hear the matter on March 9, 2026 in New York.

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Lively's charges against Baldoni and his counteraccusations

Lively’s lawsuit accuses Baldoni of sexually harassing her during the production of the 2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book It Ends With Us. In her lawsuit, Lively also alleges Baldoni hired a crisis PR expert to orchestrate a campaign to damage her reputation to protect his own. 

The court hearings, however, will address not just Lively’s claims but also Baldoni's. 

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According to reports, Judge Lewis J. Liman confirmed to E! Now that the proceedings will combine Lively’s case with Baldoni’s counterclaim. The director-actor is seeking $400 million in damages. 

Baldoni, too, alleges that Lively spearheaded a smear campaign against him and sought to usurp his role as the film’s director.

The proceedings in the court will start in 2026 but before that, a pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Feb 3 2025 during which both legal teams will address Lively’s earlier request for a gagging order against Baldoni’s solicitor, Bryan Freedman, citing allegations of “improper conduct” throughout the legal process.

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Justin Baldoni releases It Ends With Us set video to show Blake Lively is lying about harassment

Baldoni files libel case against The New York Times

Baldoni has also filed a libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of irresponsible reporting on Lively’s claims. The publication corroborated Lively's claims and stated that Baldoni had initiated a smear campaign against her.

Baldoni has vehemently denied all accusations, describing them as “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” in a December statement issued through his solicitor.

Both Lively and The New York Times have denied any wrongdoing. Lively’s legal team dismissed Baldoni’s lawsuit as a “desperate” attempt to undermine her credibility. “This is a classic case of DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender,” her lawyers stated on 16 January. “A woman comes forward with clear evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the perpetrator seeks to shift the blame onto the victim,” the statement added further.

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Similarly, The New York Times has defended its reporting and pledged to contest Baldoni’s claims. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported, based on thousands of pages of original documents, including text messages and emails that were quoted accurately in the article. “We intend to vigorously defend against this lawsuit,” the publication said in a statement.

The legal proceedings, which include allegations of harassment, defamation, and reputational sabotage, will be closely watched as it would have significant ramifications for the entertainment industry.

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