Jed Wallace files appeal in dismissed defamation case against Blake Lively

Blake Lively may have settled her lawsuit with Justin Baldoni, but her legal battles are far from over. The actress is now facing legal action after crisis management consultant Jed Wallace filed an appeal seeking to revive his previously dismissed defamation lawsuit.Jed Wallace appeals dismissed lawsuitThe development comes just a week after Lively and Baldoni reportedly reached a settlement in their high-profile multi-million-dollar lawsuit lined to their time on 'It Ends With Us' set.According to TMZ, Wallace and his firm, Street Relations Inc., were named in Lively’s 2024 civil rights complaint, which accused Baldoni’s team of orchestrating an online smear campaign. In response, Wallace filed a defamation lawsuit in Texas federal court last year. At the time, they argued that Lively falsely implicated him in the alleged campaign. However, the case was dismissed after a judge ruled that the Texas court 'lacked jurisdiction'.Jed Wallace claims Blake Lively took 'targeted' actionsNow, as per the newly filed appeal documents, TMZ reports that Wallace is now contesting that ruling and claims that Lively took “meaningful Texas-targeted actions”.The appeal argues that Lively’s accusations directly concerned Wallace’s alleged conduct in Texas and notes that the actor allegedly 'invoked a Texas court to investigate her accusations, hired Texas lawyers, and paid filing fees to the Texas court'.Wallace is asking the court to reverse the dismissal and reinstate the defamation lawsuit.About the lawsuitIn his original complaint, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Wallace denied allegations that he coordinated a digital campaign against Lively. Lively had filed a suit, which alleged that Wallace helped create and amplify an online smear campaign, designed to appear organic across social media platforms and internet forums in an effort to attack the actor and defend Baldoni. The complaint further alleged that Baldoni’s public relations team used the manufactured online content to influence media narratives and public opinion.Wallace has denied wrongdoing and sought at least USD 7 million in damages, along with a court declaration stating that he did not engage in harassment or retaliation against Lively.