Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni failed to reach a settlement in the actress's sexual harassment lawsuit on Friday after a full day of arguments in federal court. The two "It Ends With Us" co-stars entered the New York courthouse in the morning and spent most of the day in separate rooms on the 14th floor.
At the end of the day, the two left the building amid a large crowd of reporters, without making any statements. Bryan Freedman, Justin Baldoni's lawyer, confirmed to reporters that no agreement had been reached. He acknowledged that a deal could still happen, but suggested that it was almost impossible.
Asked if he believes the case will go to trial, he said:
"Yes. We can't wait."
Although both sides had previously had face-to-face hearings with Judge Sarah L. Cave, neither expected the talks to end in a settlement. Blake Lively has accused Justin Baldoni of sexually harassing her on the set of "It Ends With Us" and of working with his public relations team to orchestrate a smear campaign against her after she filed the complaints.
The trial is set for May 18. In the meantime, the judge in the case is considering whether to dismiss or limit the actress's lawsuit before trial. Baldoni's team has filed a motion for a default judgment, arguing that the lawsuit consists of petty complaints that fall short of the legal standard for harassment.
Explanation: Request for a decision without a trial – a request made to the court to make a decision without a full trial, based only on the law and the documents presented, without analyzing new evidence and testimony.
On the other hand, Blake Lively's representatives have stated that other actors have also had complaints about Justin Baldoni's behavior on set and that the allegations are sufficient to be considered by the jury.
