Justin BaldoniWayfarer Studios, the production company of The New York Times, has been ordered to pay more than $171,000 in damages to The New York Times after a defamation lawsuit against the Times was dismissed.
Justin Baldoni and production company ordered to pay New York Times
According to a ruling issued on Monday, July 27, New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits granted “summary judgment” in favor of The New York Times under New York’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) law, awarding $171,616.20 to The New York Times. The newspaper initially requested about $181,622.70 in attorney fees. However, Judge Leibovitz reduced the amount after determining that some legal work carried out after the case was dismissed was “irrecoverable.”
About the court decision
According to People , Judge Leibovitz ruled that “the potential federal action here arises from publicly released media reports … regarding a legal action brought by a prominent actress.” The judge concluded that the newspaper’s reporting involved “a matter of public interest.”Judge Lebovits also denied Wayfarer Studios’ request to stay the state’s case pending a potential appeal. The judge noted that a May 2026 settlement agreement between the parties in a related federal lawsuit included a waiver of the right to appeal, making the request moot.
New York Times responds
Following the latest ruling, The New York Times said in a statement to People magazine, “We are pleased with the court’s ruling. The anti-SLAPP statute is designed to combat baseless lawsuits like these that silence the media.”
Justin Baldoni’s ‘Stand With Us’ Lawsuit
Months ago, Wayfarer Studios sued The New York Times over its December 2024 investigation, titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside the Hollywood Defamation Machine,” which detailed Blake Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and workplace retaliation against Baldoni and those associated with the production of “With Us.”As previously reported, in a January 2025 federal lawsuit filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, they claimed that the newspaper defamed their reputation through its reporting. However, in June 2025, U.S. District Judge Lewis J Liman dismissed all claims against the newspaper with prejudice, effectively blocking claims from being refiled.