A federal judge has dismissed most of the sexual harassment claims brought by Blake Lively against director and actor Justin Baldoni, just one month before the high-profile trial was set to begin.
According to the ruling by Judge Lewis Liman, 10 of the 13 claims filed by Lively have been thrown out, including allegations of sexual harassment and defamation.
Only three claims remain in the case, none of which personally name Baldoni as a defendant.
Lively's civil lawsuit relates to alleged incidents during the filming of "It Ends With Us," where she accused Baldoni of inappropriate behavior and orchestrating a smear campaign against her after she raised concerns. Baldoni has consistently denied these allegations.
The judge's decision was partly based on technical legal issues, including Lively's status as an independent contractor rather than an employee, which impacted the dismissal of some claims, including those for sexual harassment.
Of the remaining claims, the case will focus on allegations of retaliation, aiding retaliation, and breach of contract. A lawsuit continues against the production company Wayfarer Studios, as well as other parties associated with the project.
Representatives for Wayfarer stated they are "very pleased" with the court's decision, emphasizing that the sexual harassment allegations were serious and carefully reviewed.
On the other hand, Lively's lawyers stressed that the case remains focused on a "retaliatory campaign" against her and that she expects to testify at trial.