Blake Lively Shut Down by Judge in Justin Baldoni Case for 'Overly Intrusive' Request

The legal face-off between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni took another sharp turn as a federal judge struck down what was described as an "overly intrusive" request by the actress’s legal team. Lively had sought Baldoni's phone records in an effort to expose what she claims was a coordinated smear campaign against her.

The ruling came from Judge Lewis Liman, who partially denied the subpoena for Baldoni's phone records, citing privacy concerns. While Lively's team narrowed their request to exclude the actual content of calls and messages, the judge still deemed the move overly invasive. "This request implicates legitimate privacy interests," Liman stated, noting that such records could reveal sensitive details, such as contact with doctors, psychologists, or acquaintances.

Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, celebrated the decision, calling it a "big win" and accusing Lively of engaging in a "desperate fishing expedition" to prop up her claims. He didn’t hold back, claiming Lively's team had already done their fair share of reputation damage.

However, the court left a door open for Lively to subpoena phone records from non-parties who may have been involved in the alleged smear campaign. Liman clarified that while Lively could pursue these records, the scope of her discovery efforts must remain reasonable and targeted. "Even assuming additional individuals participated in the alleged campaign, the hope that discovery will turn up information on such participants does not justify the broad scope of the subpoenas," the judge added.

Lively’s team, undeterred, announced they would submit direct requests to the individuals involved. A spokesperson for the actress questioned Freedman's intentions, asking, "What is Bryan Freedman hiding? After promising to release all the ‘receipts,’ Freedman ran into court to keep secret the phone records of who Baldoni and others were calling during their retaliatory campaign." They expressed confidence that their renewed efforts would uncover the evidence they are seeking.

The legal battle stems from Lively’s accusations of sexual harassment and a subsequent smear campaign allegedly orchestrated by Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath. These claims date back to December, when the actress filed an official federal lawsuit. She has since claimed that additional cast members are willing to testify on her behalf when the case goes to trial in 2026.

Baldoni, for his part, has vehemently denied the allegations. His legal team has characterized Lively's accusations as baseless and part of a strategy to repair her own reputation after what they describe as a rocky press tour for the movie "It Ends With Us." They argue that there is no evidence of a coordinated effort to smear Lively.

The legal drama has become a particularly ugly chapter for both stars, and with a trial still a year away, it appears this saga is far from over.