3/6 – A New York judge is considering dismissing the New York Times from a $400 million defamation case brought by actor Justin Baldoni. The lawsuit alleges the Times colluded with actress Blake Lively to smear him after she accused him of sexual harassment. The judge indicated that the Times’ motion for dismissal had “substantial grounds” based on First Amendment concerns. Baldoni claims the Times amplified Lively’s false narrative in an article, while the Times argues it was merely engaging in newsgathering, that plaintiff did not show it acted with malicious intent and that the sole alleged defamatory statement in the article (that the plaintiff orchestrated a “smear campaign” in retaliation to Lively’s claims) was protected opinion. The court has temporarily stayed discovery pending a decision on the Times’s motion.