A federal judge has thrown out most of Blake Lively’s claims against Justin Baldoni, leaving only three issues to be decided in a trial set for May 18, 2026. The judge dismissed 10 of her 13 claims, including sexual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation.
And political commentator Candace Owens reacted about this on her X.
Candace Owens reacts
"Everybody please congratulate me on Blake Lively's psycho claims about Justin Baldoni being dismissed. We worked really hard on that one. In the end, truth wins," Owens posted on April 3, 2026.
Her claim is not entirely surprising. In July 2025, Blake Lively reportedly subpoenaed Candace Owens because of her negative coverage of the actress which Lively’s legal team said was part of a bigger smear campaign. Entertainment Weekly reported that Owens received the subpoena related to that coverage.
{{/usCountry}}Her claim is not entirely surprising. In July 2025, Blake Lively reportedly subpoenaed Candace Owens because of her negative coverage of the actress which Lively’s legal team said was part of a bigger smear campaign. Entertainment Weekly reported that Owens received the subpoena related to that coverage.
{{/usCountry}}Owens denied ever being paid to take a side, saying she was "offended" by the suggestion.
"I truly looked at this lawsuit when it all came out in January, and I just thought that you were a bad person. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I think you and Ryan are bad people. There is nobody involved, nobody has ever been involved in making me come to that conclusion," she said on her YouTube channel.
What the judge decided
On Thursday, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 out of 13 claims in Blake Lively's lawsuit against her co-star and director of ‘It Ends With Us’, according to The Guardian. The claims that were thrown out included sexual harassment, conspiracy and defamation which means the case is now much smaller heading into trial.
Three claims will still be heard in court: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. The trial is set to begin on May 18, 2026. The focus of the remaining case will be on Lively’s allegations that Baldoni was behind a coordinated effort to spread negative stories about her online in retaliation for speaking out.
Lively's attorney, Sigrid McCawley, rejected the idea that the ruling was a defeat.
"This case has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively's reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial," McCawley said in a statement, as reported by The Guardian.
She also explained that the sexual harassment claims were dismissed “not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
Lively's lawyers had alleged that Baldoni was "consistently inappropriate" with their client, "kissed, nuzzled and touched" her without consent and made unwanted comments about her appearance and weight during filming.