Blake Lively<\/a> has been awarded $407,451.75 in costs stemming from Justin Baldoni’s countersuit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Blake Lively has been awarded some costs<\/p>\n
The 39-year-old actress and Baldoni, her It Ends with Us co-star, settled their broad litigation dispute in May – but a federal judge has now awarded $363,245.40 in attorneys\u2019 fees and $44,206.35 in costs.<\/p>\n
Lively had initially requested $8,035,040.88 for fighting Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios’ defamation countersuit.<\/p>\n
But US District Judge Lewis J. Liman ultimately found that Lively was not entitled to recover fees for the litigation as a whole. <\/p>\n
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Instead, the Hollywood star – who is married to actor Ryan Reynolds – was told by the judge that she could recover reasonable fees and costs connected to defending herself against Baldoni’s defamation claim.<\/p>\n
\nLiman wrote: “The number of hours for which Lively seeks reimbursement is unreasonable.<\/p>\n
\n“Media relations were not integral to defending the defamation claim brought against Lively. Accordingly, time spent on media relations and press coverage is not compensable.”<\/p>\n
\nEsra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, Lively’s legal team, framed the verdict as a win for their client, describing the ruling as “historic”.<\/p>\n
\nIn a statement given to People, they said: “This first-ever award of fees and costs under this California law is historic, and demonstrates that there are real consequences of bringing retaliatory lawsuits.<\/p>\n
\n“As we have said from day one, Blake Lively\u2019s case was never about money \u2013 it was about accountability.”<\/p>\n
\nBy contrast, Bryan Freedman, the attorney who represents Baldoni and Wayfarer, argued that the judge’s verdict “speaks for itself”.<\/p>\n
\nFreedman subsequently described the verdict as a “significant victory for my clients” and one that “sends a clear message”.<\/p>\n
\nHe said: “Judge Liman clearly considered the \u2018outrageous and unreasonable\u2019 $8 million plus demand and, in rejecting it, awarded only five percent of the amount sought in legal fees and costs. The ruling is a significant victory for my clients and sends a clear message that, no matter how powerful you may be, the courtroom is not a place to take advantage of the law for your own personal gain.”<\/p>\n
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