Judge Rules Alec Baldwin Must Face Civil Trial Over Rust Shooting

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled that actor Alec Baldwin must face a civil trial over the 2021 shooting on the set of the film Rust. The decision allows a lawsuit from a crew member to move forward, focusing on claims of negligence and emotional distress.

Judge Maurice Leiter issued the ruling on April 17, 2026, stating that a “reasonable jury” could find Baldwin acted with reckless disregard for safety. The judge pointed to allegations that Baldwin aimed a firearm at another person with his finger on the trigger before it discharged.

The lawsuit was filed by Serge Svetnoy, the film’s gaffer. Svetnoy claims he experienced severe emotional distress because the bullet that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins narrowly missed him. He is seeking damages related to that trauma.

However, the court dismissed one part of the lawsuit. The judge rejected Svetnoy’s claim of assault, saying there is no evidence Baldwin intended to physically harm anyone on set.

The civil trial is scheduled to begin on October 12, 2026.

This case follows earlier legal developments related to the shooting. Criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin were dismissed with prejudice in 2024 after issues with withheld evidence came to light. That decision ended the possibility of retrying him on those charges.

Other civil lawsuits tied to the incident have already been settled, including claims brought by Hutchins’ family and several crew members.

The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, served a prison sentence related to the shooting and was released in May 2025. Meanwhile, Rust was completed and released the same month after production resumed.

Baldwin has continued to deny responsibility. He has said he was told the gun was “cold,” meaning it contained no live ammunition, and has maintained that he did not pull the trigger. The court noted that Baldwin’s role as both an actor and a producer may factor into determining whether he had a duty of care on set.

The upcoming trial is expected to focus on whether Baldwin’s actions meet the legal standard for negligence and whether Svetnoy’s claims of emotional harm can be substantiated.