Overview
- U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman issued the fee award on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, directing payment of $363,245.40 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206.35 in costs tied to Baldoni’s dismissed defamation countersuit.
- Lively had sought roughly $8.0 million in fees and costs but received about 5% of that total because the judge limited recovery to fees reasonably tied to defending the defamation claim.
- Liman found the hourly rates charged by Lively’s lawyers were not unreasonable given the case’s stakes, but he sharply reduced recoverable hours because many entries were vague, overinclusive, or unsupported by invoices.
- The judge excluded items the court said were not integral to defending the defamation claim, including public‑relations work and certain investigation and administrative expenses.
- The ruling applies California Civil Code Section 47.1 and may shape how courts allocate fees in multi‑claim, high‑profile cases by requiring clear billing, careful claim‑by‑claim allocation, and limits on overstaffing.