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.