Washington, D.C., July 15 — A federal judge has granted Blake Lively a protective order in her ongoing legal dispute with actor-director Justin Baldoni, according to E! News. The ruling comes just days before Lively’s scheduled deposition in the case.
On July 14, Judge Lewis J. Liman approved Lively’s request to require Baldoni’s legal team to disclose the identities of everyone attending her deposition, which is set for July 17.
⚖️ Protective Order Details
According to court documents reviewed by E! News, Blake Lively must allow opposing counsel access to a dedicated computer, as well as printing and copying capabilities at the location she selects for the deposition. Baldoni’s team is also mandated to provide a full list of attendees two days in advance.
The decision follows Lively’s claims that Baldoni’s team intended to turn her deposition into a publicity stunt, possibly by inviting media, social media influencers, or other unidentified individuals to the session.
💬 Lively vs. Baldoni: A High-Profile Legal Battle
Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024, accusing Baldoni and his publicists of spreading false stories and retaliating after she reported sexual harassment during the production of the film It Ends With Us.
Baldoni countersued, claiming defamation, but his countersuit was dismissed last week.
In a recent July 11 court filing, Lively’s legal team alleged that Baldoni’s lawyers had previously refused to cooperate on basic logistics for the deposition and ignored her concerns over safety and privacy.
“Defendants have not denied that their intent is to manufacture a harassing publicity stunt,” Lively’s attorneys claimed, citing the risk of paparazzi, media presence, and influencers attending.
📲 Taylor Swift’s Name Pulled Into Legal Proceedings
In a separate legal development in June 2025, Judge Liman ruled that messages between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift could be reviewed by Baldoni’s legal team. Lively had attempted to block access to these messages, arguing they were irrelevant and intended to generate media attention.
Judge Liman disagreed, stating the messages might offer key context to Lively’s claims. However, a protective order was upheld, prohibiting the release of those messages to the press.
Baldoni’s team had initially subpoenaed Taylor Swift, but those were later withdrawn after Swift’s representatives clarified she had no involvement in the film beyond allowing a song to be used.
🔎 What Happens Next?
The next major development will be Blake Lively’s deposition on July 17, which will now proceed with heightened privacy and security protocols in place. Whether these protective measures will lead to a resolution in the dispute remains to be seen.