Case​ Transfer and Background

On Tuesday,‍ October 22, 2025, the defendants in the civil lawsuit-including armorer Hannah gutierrez-Reed and others-exercised their right to move the case from state court​ to U.S. Federal Court.​ Albuquerque attorney Luis Robles, representing the defendants, stated the decision stemmed from “Mr. Baldwin brought federal civil rights claims in his lawsuit” as reported by ​the Santa Fe New Mexican. Baldwin,‍ who resides outside of New Mexico,⁣ also contributed⁤ to the jurisdictional shift.

Baldwin’s legal team has not yet commented on the move to federal court. They have the ​option to⁢ petition to have the case returned to state court.

Previously, a New Mexico ⁢state judge dismissed Baldwin’s malicious prosecution claims in July 2024, citing‌ a ⁢90-day period of inactivity. However, the judge later ‌reinstated the case following a petition from Baldwin’s legal team according to‍ the ⁣Santa Fe New ⁣Mexican. This reinstatement directly‌ led to the defendants’ request for a change of venue.

Focus of Baldwin’s Claims

During his trial in Santa⁢ Fe in 2024 regarding the criminal charges (later dropped), Baldwin’s lawyers ⁤attempted to shift the focus away from the question of whether Baldwin himself pulled​ the trigger of the ⁢prop gun. Instead, they centered their arguments on alleged mishandling of evidence by law enforcement and prosecutors.

Specifically, Baldwin’s attorneys accused authorities of concealing potential evidence, including a batch of bullets that they believed might be connected to the ⁤fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as detailed in the Santa Fe ‌New Mexican.