Real reason Blake Lively dropped emotional distress claim against Justin Baldoni: 'Routine part'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The real reason behind Blake Lively’s decision to drop her emotional distress claim against 'It Ends With Us' co-star Justin Baldoni has come to light, according to newly uncovered court documents obtained by DailyMail.

The high-profile legal battle between the Hollywood pair continues to escalate, with Lively pursuing serious allegations against Baldoni, while he has struck back with a $400 million defamation countersuit.

With tensions rising, the case is set to heat up even further as it heads to trial on March 9, 2026, in New York City.

Blake Lively explains her decision to drop her emotional distress claim

In the latest development in the ongoing legal feud, Blake Lively, 37, has explained her decision to voluntarily drop her emotional distress claim against Justin Baldoni.

She insists the move was made in “good faith” to streamline the legal process, not because she didn’t want to share private medical records like her therapy notes, as Baldoni’s team claims.

Calling Baldoni’s claims “frivolous” and accusing his camp of staging a “false and plainly improper public relations stunt,” Lively's legal team argues Baldoni is trying to sensationalize her decision to withdraw certain parts of her lawsuit.

These claims were laid out in court documents recently, as the judge now weighs whether to formally dismiss Lively’s emotional distress allegations or force her to release mental health records.

Lively’s attorneys also accuse Baldoni’s team of escalating the situation unnecessarily.

Blake Lively’s team denies refusal to share medical information

Blake Lively’s team claims both sides had a video call on Monday, June 2 and during that meeting, Justin Baldoni’s team never mentioned their plan to file a big court motion later that day.

That motion claimed Lively’s lawyers refused a fair request to make her decision to drop the claim final, so it couldn’t be brought up again later, as per DailyMail.

Lively’s lawyers say no one raised any issues during the call and believe Baldoni’s team had already written the motion and rushed to file it right after the meeting ended. They say the motion is based on two false claims: first, that Lively refused to share medical records, which they say only mattered for the claim she already dropped, and second, that she wasn’t cooperating in the case, which they deny.

The doc said, "To suggest that Ms Lively has "refused" to produce anything (in either her written discovery responses, in the parties' conference, or anytime thereafter) in connection with these claims is intentionally misleading to the court and their intended audience for this false record: the public."

Lively’s camp adds that she has also agreed to drop a second claim, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and maintains Baldoni’s team has no legal right to access her personal records. They’re now urging the court to dismiss Baldoni’s motion entirely, calling it “abusive” and “improper.”

Justin Baldoni’s team accuses Lively of having it both ways over medical records

These documents follow claims from Justin Baldoni’s team that Blake Lively is trying to “have it both ways” by dropping certain claims while refusing to provide access to her medical records.

Lively’s lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, told the court that Baldoni’s motion was aimed solely at gaining media attention and that there was nothing for the court to enforce.

He stated, “The motion was filed for a single audience: the media. There is nothing for this court to compel.”

An insider told the Daily Mail that Lively’s lawyers hoped to quietly remove the emotional distress claims to avoid close scrutiny of her medical records.

However, Lively’s team responded, saying, “Once again this is a routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt.”

They defended their actions by adding, “We are doing what trial lawyers do: preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it; they are doing what they do: desperately seeking another tired round of tabloid coverage.”