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Baldoni Seeks Cut to Lively’s $8 Million Fee Request

7/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

Actor Justin Baldoni asked Federal Judge Lewis Liman to deny or reduce actress Blake Lively’s request for $8 million in fees and $539,514.01 in costs.
Lively’s June 29 filing seeks $7,495,526.87 in fees and $539,514.01 in costs under California Civil Code 47.1 after Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation claims.
Baldoni’s lawyers say counsel billed 7,070.20 hours via 82 timekeepers—about 20 times higher than in comparable high-profile defamation cases—making the fee request “anything but typical.”

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Story summary

Actor Justin Baldoni asked Federal Judge Lewis Liman to deny or reduce actress Blake Lively’s request for $8 million in fees and $539,514.01 in costs.
Lively’s June 29 filing seeks $7,495,526.87 in fees and $539,514.01 in costs under California Civil Code 47.1 after Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation claims.
Baldoni’s lawyers say counsel billed 7,070.20 hours via 82 timekeepers—about 20 times higher than in comparable high-profile defamation cases—making the fee request “anything but typical.”