10/2 – The New York Times has filed suit against Justin Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer, seeking to recover legal costs under New York’s anti-SLAPP statute after defeating a defamation claim brought by the company. Wayfarer sued the Times last year, alleging it defamed Baldoni and his firm, but a Manhattan federal judge dismissed the case for failure to state a claim. Now, the Times argues the suit was frivolous and designed to chill protected reporting, saying it spent at least $150,000 in legal fees. The newspaper is pursuing compensatory and punitive damages, underscoring how anti-SLAPP laws operate not only as shields against weak defamation claims but also as tools for recovering costs from parties who bring them.