She accuses his legal team of weaponizing media through unnecessary deposition disclosure.
August 4, 20255: Blake Lively’s legal team has filed a motion accusing Justin Baldoni’s attorneys of staging a PR stunt by deliberately leaking her unrevised, 292‑page deposition transcript to the public. The filing contends that only two pages of the transcript were legally relevant—making the full upload a calculated effort to tarnish her reputation and manipulate the narrative through media.
Allegations of a Media Strategy Lawfare
Lively’s attorneys argue that Baldoni’s team acted more like PR agents than legal counsel. They claim the transcript was posted to provoke Lively into fighting to keep it sealed—thus reinforcing a manufactured story that she’s hiding something. The filing states: “There is no conceivable legal purpose to file the whole transcript,” emphasizing it was unreviewed, uncorrected, and unnecessary.
According to Lively’s camp, the timing of media coverage—including details about her outfit, entourage size, and deposition space—was orchestrated to create a media “circus” that overshadowed legal proceedings.
Context of the Legal Dispute
The deposition, held on July 31 in Manhattan, is part of Lively’s lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of It Ends With Us. Baldoni has strongly denied the allegations and previously filed a $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others—which was dismissed by a federal judge in June.
The contentious legal battle is scheduled to head to trial in March 2026, where both Lively and Baldoni are expected to testify under oath.
Lively’s Legal Argument in Brief
| Claim | Details |
|---|---|
| Transcript Disclosure | Uploaded without reason; only two pages cited |
| Purpose | Intended media narrative control, not legal necessity |
| Effect | Aims to frame Lively as evasive and manipulative |
| Legal Position | Motion requests the full transcript be struck from the record |
Why It Matters
Lively’s motion highlights concerns about how legal disputes are increasingly waged through public perception rather than purely by courtroom rules. By framing the move as a preemptive media attack, her team argues the approach is harmful to fair legal process—and to her reputation.
Should the judge strike the transcript, it may set precedent over how sensitive deposition materials are used—or misused—for tabloid fodder.
Lively is seeking to have the full deposition filing removed from the public docket. Baldoni’s attorneys have yet to publicly respond. With trial set for 2026, both sides remain poised for a high-stakes legal and media showdown.
Published by HOLR Magazine