Judge Rules Blake Lively’s Emotional Distress Claims Against Justin Baldoni Are Officially Dead

The judge overseeing the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni lawsuit has decided that the actress’ claims for emotional distress are dead. The ruling comes after a tense back in forth between the dueling sides, with Baldoni’s lawyers filing a motion to compel her to turn over her medical records and Lively fighting that move.

Judge Lewis Liman wrote this morning that Baldoni’s motion to compel is denied “based on Plaintiff’s representation that the relevant claims will be withdrawn. Lively’s request that ‘because the parties have agreed to dismiss Ms. Lively’s tenth and eleventh causes of action . . . the Court exercise its inherent authority and authority under Rule 15 to dismiss them without prejudice’ is denied without prejudice to renewal. The parties shall stipulate to whether the dismissal is with or without prejudice, or Lively shall renew her request by formal motion. For avoidance of doubt, if the claims are not dismissed, the Court will preclude Lively from offering any evidence of emotional distress.”

In short, Judge Liman shut down the possibility of Lively changing her mind and turning over her medical records. If the claims are not dismissed, Judge Liman will preclude her from presenting evidence of her emotional distress claims.

Lively can choose to try to reach an agreement with Baldoni about dismissing the claims with prejudice — meaning without the right to refile — or she can roll the dice and ask the judge to dismiss the claims without an agreement, in a bid to have him dismiss them without prejudice. Either way, Lively’s attorneys can no longer present evidence of her emotional distress claims.