A federal court will see the first step in the $400 million defamation suits between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Team Baldoni claims innocence concerning the online release of legal documents. Judge Liman faces key decisions regarding gag orders, depositions, and the public availability of legal filings.
Lawyers for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are set to face off in federal court on Monday, with sources close to Team Baldoni maintaining their innocence regarding the online posting of a substantial collection of previously unseen legal documents . The It Ends With Us co-stars are not obligated to attend the 11 a.m. pretrial conference in New York, marking the initial step in their simultaneous $400 million defamation lawsuit s.
Adding to the complexities of the case is the unexpected involvement of Sigrid McCawley, a highly regarded attorney best known for representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein. McCawley will appear on behalf of Lively's publicist and co-defendant, Leslie Sloane, who is accused of orchestrating a campaign to tarnish Baldoni's reputation.The legal teams will engage in a heated battle over various issues, including Lively's request for a gag order and her alleged refusal to participate in a deposition with Baldoni's lead counsel, Bryan Freedman. The 37-year-old actress has expressed strong dissatisfaction with Freedman's alleged 'harassing and retaliatory' comments about her to the media and seeks Judge Lewis Liman's intervention to silence the outspoken attorney. Adding further fuel to the fire, Team Baldoni recently fulfilled a promise to publish new details of their legal battle on a dedicated website, thelawsuitinfo.com. The site features links to an amended version of Baldoni's complaint and a 'timeline of relevant events,' charting the escalation of the conflict during the filming of their 2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel.The released documents include surprising revelations, such as text messages from Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, expressing admiration for Baldoni before their relationship soured. Reynolds texted Baldoni, saying, 'I'm excited for Blake to crack open her creative piggy bank with someone as dynamic as you … I happen to adore you, Justin.' Another message from Lively to Baldoni, discussing the script for the movie's pivotal rooftop scene, reads: 'If you knew me (in person) longer you'd have a sense of how flirty and yummy the ball busting will be. 'It's my love language. Spicy and playfully bold, never with teeth.' Meanwhile, Freedman and his legal team are expected to argue that the documents uploaded were merely public court filings already accessible through the federal government's Pacer website. A source close to Team Baldoni stated, 'It's important to point out that nobody is monetizing off this. It's simply a landing page to have access to legal documents that are already public. 'This is far from a provocation. In fact, it's yet more evidence that Justin and his team intend to be continually transparent.' Judge Liman will also have to decide whether Freedman should be allowed to question Lively under oath on behalf of Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios. Baldoni's attorney, Kevin Fritz, wrote to the court, 'Counsel for Ms. Lively and Ryan Reynolds stated their objection to the Wayfarer Parties' lead counsel conducting the deposition of Blake Lively. 'Specifically, the Lively Parties' counsel indicated that they object to Bryan J. Freedman personally, taking Ms Lively's deposition, based upon unspecified statements made by Mr. Freedman.
Blake Lively Justin Baldoni Defamation Lawsuit Legal Battle It Ends With Us Colleen Hoover Bryan Freedman Federal Court Gag Order Deposition Public Disclosure Legal Documents
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