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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Engage in Ongoing Legal Controversy
The ongoing legal conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has intensified since December 2024, drawing significant public and media attention.
Recently, a federal judge dismissed a subpoena issued by Lively’s legal team that sought access to Baldoni’s phone records. This request was part of their litigation centered on allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation. The actress accused Baldoni and others of engaging in a conspiracy to damage her public image. However, US District Judge Lewis Liman ruled against this request, deeming it “overly intrusive” and a violation of privacy rights.
In his ruling, Judge Liman stated, “Even if there were allegations that additional individuals were involved in the purported campaign, the expectation that such a broad discovery request will uncover relevant information does not justify the invasion of privacy represented by the subpoenas.” He emphasized the need to respect the privacy of the individuals whose phone records were being sought, noting that these records could contain sensitive data. Liman allowed for more focused discovery requests from Lively, encouraging her to pursue specific information regarding the individuals involved.
In response, Lively’s spokesperson claimed that Baldoni hurried to secure his phone records following the subpoena. The statement indicated that the actress’s legal team planned to refine their requests in order to comply with the court’s guidelines, expressing confidence in their ability to eventually obtain the necessary records: “Today we will be submitting those requests directly to the relevant defendants, and we expect to see the records shortly.”
Conversely, Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, characterized the court’s decision as a pivotal victory against what he termed Lively’s “egregious attempt” to breach his client’s privacy. Freedman described the subpoenas as a “desperate fishing expedition” aimed at undermining Baldoni’s reputation. The subpoenas sought details of calls and messages associated with Baldoni and other involved parties related to the underlying litigation from 2022, but were met with legal pushback from Baldoni’s representatives.
The legal dispute has its roots in Lively’s allegations against Baldoni, which assert sexual harassment, emotional distress, and negligent behavior. In response, Baldoni has filed a countersuit, asserting that the accusations are unfounded and were made by Lively to salvage her public image. Baldoni’s legal team has further argued that Lively’s assertions lack substantive evidence regarding the alleged smear campaign.
Source
www.news18.com