Judge Allows Justin Baldoni Access to Swift-Lively Messages in ‘It Ends With Us’ Case

A U.S. judge has ruled that Justin Baldoni can seek private messages exchanged between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift that relate to the film ‘It Ends With Us’ and the ongoing legal dispute involving its co-stars. The decision follows an attempt by Lively to block access to the communications, claiming Baldoni was attempting to involve Swift as part of a wider public relations tactic.

Judge Lewis Liman, however, determined that the requested messages could be relevant to the lawsuit. He noted that a protective order is already in place to prevent the release of any material to the media. In his ruling, he acknowledged that while legal manoeuvres may have an impact on public opinion, they can also serve a legitimate purpose in litigation.

Baldoni’s legal team had earlier issued subpoenas to Swift and her lawyers. At that time, a spokesperson for the singer clarified that Swift had no direct involvement with the production apart from licensing one of her songs, and only viewed the film weeks after its release. The subpoenas were later withdrawn, but Lively’s legal team requested that the issue be formally closed, insisting that Swift had no relevance to the case.

Judge Cites Swift’s Possible Knowledge in Lively’s Harassment Case

Judge Liman, however, rejected that argument. He cited Lively’s own representation that Swift may have been aware of concerns about the working environment during the making of the film. He concluded that communications between the two could reasonably help determine the validity of Lively’s claims of harassment and retaliation.

Lively initially filed suit in December, accusing Baldoni and his publicists of orchestrating a covert smear campaign against her after she raised complaints of s*xual harassment on set. Although Baldoni filed a countersuit alleging defamation, that claim was dismissed last week.

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