lawsuit after a federal judge dismissed 10 of the 13 claims against Justin and
Justin Baldoni’s legal team is singing victory.
After Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims in Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, including the allegations of sexual harassment, the It Ends With Us director’s attorney Bryan Freedman addressed the “gratifying” decision.
“The defendants were not afraid of the truth,” he said in an April 3 statement to TMZ. “The plan was not only to speak the truth but to also show that same truth over and over again through the presentation of actual evidence. Neither Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath nor any of the other defendants have engaged in the sexual harassment of Blake Lively.”
E! News previously reached out Baldoni’s legal team for comment.
In his 152-page opinion obtained by E! News, Judge Liman dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment claims because they did not have the "substantial connection" to California needed to violate the California Fair Employment and Housing Act as much of the filming and decision-making with the movie occurred outside of the state. He further said the claims didn't fall under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act because Lively was an independent contractor—as opposed to an employee—during the film shoot.
Her accusations of retaliation, breach of contract and aiding and abetting retaliation, however, remain for a jury trial, which is currently scheduled for May, according to The New York Times.
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