Netflix dealt blow in $170m Baby Reindeer lawsuit battle
Netflix has hit a setback in its bid to throw out the $170 million lawsuit over Baby Reindeer.
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled it lacks jurisdiction, meaning it has no legal power to hear the streamer's appeal. The development was reported as an exclusive by Deadline.
The case was brought by Fiona Harvey, a former lawyer from Scotland. She says she was identified as the real-life inspiration for Martha, the stalker character played by Jessica Gunning. She sued Netflix for defamation, meaning false statements that harm reputation, in 2024.
At the centre is how the series described her. Harvey says Baby Reindeer portrayed her as a twice-convicted stalker sentenced to five years in prison. She says she has never been convicted of stalking the show's creator, Richard Gadd.
US District Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled in September 2024 that her case should proceed. He found the series was wrongly billed as a true story after Netflix made no effort to check Gadd's account and failed to conceal Harvey's identity. Netflix then appealed, which paused proceedings at the Central District of California Court.
The case had been widely expected to go to trial in May 2025. Instead it sat dormant for more than a year. The case did not move.
The new ruling does not decide whether Netflix is right or wrong. It was made on technical grounds rather than on the merits of the appeal. The court has ordered Netflix to either file a motion to voluntarily dismiss the appeal or file a statement explaining why it should not be dismissed.
Netflix declined to comment on the ruling. Harvey is represented by attorney Richard Roth.
Baby Reindeer premiered in April 2024 and has amassed 103 million views since its debut, according to figures cited by Deadline. The series has won Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. Harvey is seeking a jury trial, with damages claimed for mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of business, as reported by ABC7.
What makes this stand out is the contrast. A global hit with major awards is still facing a serious dispute over how it labelled its story.
