Judge Orders Blake Lively’s Deposition Stricken from Record in Sexual Harassment Suit Against Justin Baldoni
In a significant development in Blake Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, a federal judge has ordered that Lively’s July 31 deposition be stricken from the court record and kept sealed.
Judge Lewis Liman ruled on Friday that Baldoni’s legal team and Wayfarer Studios improperly attached the nearly 300-page deposition to a court filing after citing only two pages. The judge stated the move appeared intended “to burden Lively…and to invite public speculation and scandal” rather than serve a legitimate litigation purpose.
Judge’s Rebuke of Baldoni’s Team
Judge Liman criticized the filing as excessive and irrelevant:
“The conclusion is inescapable that the Wayfarer Parties filed gratuitous amounts of irrelevant pages so that…they could then use Lively’s response for their own public-relations purposes.”
He added that the court has “the responsibility to step in” to prevent misuse of the legal process.
Background of the Dispute
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Lively’s legal team filed to strike the deposition on August 4 after Baldoni’s side submitted a letter with excerpts and the full, uncertified transcript under seal.
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Accusations have flown between both sides over alleged leaks to the media about the deposition, attended by Ryan Reynolds on Lively’s side and most of Baldoni’s inner circle on the other.
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Baldoni’s attorney, Kevin Fritz, argued it was puzzling for Lively to seek to conceal her own testimony given that she is the plaintiff.
What’s Next
The ruling comes less than eight months before the high-profile federal trial begins in New York City. The court has yet to rule on Lively’s separate motion seeking sanctions against Baldoni’s lead lawyer, Bryan Freedman, for allegedly publicly slandering her.
With tensions already high and the case generating constant media attention since December, the latest order underscores the intensifying pre-trial battles—with more developments expected soon.
