Thursday, August 27, 2026 -Blake Lively has been awarded $407,451.75 in legal fees and costs following her lengthy legal battle with Justin Baldoni, but the amount is far below the more than $8 million she requested.
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman awarded Lively $363,245.40 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206.35 in costs after reviewing her request. The decision delivers a significant financial ruling in a case that has kept both stars in the spotlight and attracted intense public attention.
The judge found that while Lively’s lawyers’ hourly rates were not unreasonable, the number of hours claimed was excessive. The court limited the reimbursement largely to expenses directly connected to defending against Baldoni’s defamation claims rather than the wider costs of the legal battle.
Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, had sued Lively after she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, allegations he denied. Their case was later dismissed, while the broader dispute was settled in May 2026 before reaching trial.
The ruling now puts a clearer financial endpoint on one of Hollywood’s most closely watched legal disputes. For Lively, the award represents a recovery of more than $400,000 but only about 5% of what she sought, making the court’s message on reasonable legal spending impossible to ignore.
Both sides have agreed not to appeal the fee decision, increasing the likelihood that this latest ruling will close another major chapter in the Baldoni-Lively battle.
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