Blake Lively's Lawyers Push to Restrict Info in Baldoni Lawsuit

New York, Mar. 8: A lawyer for actor Blake Lively asked a federal judge Thursday to impose strict rules to prevent anyone associated with Justin Baldoni getting personal or intimate information about her or other celebrities while potential evidence is shared among attorneys as her sexual harassment claims against her co-star in "It Ends With Us" proceed toward trial.

Meryl Governski, representing Lively, told Judge Lewis J. Liman in a telephone conference that some materials must be shared only between lawyers to protect her client and others. The judge did not immediately rule.

Lively sued Baldoni, his production company and others in New York in late December for sexual harassment and attacks on her reputation and sought unspecified damages. 

Baldoni later countersued, accusing Lively and her husband, "Deadpool" actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion and seeking at least $400 million in damages.

Governski said some defendants in Lively's lawsuit filed in late December against Baldoni, his production company and others seemed to be operating on an unlimited budget as they "try to ruin the lives of Ms. Lively and her family."

"There is an insatiable appetite for any information about this case, no matter how benign it is," Governski said. "The defendants have bragged in text messages about being able to publish information without fingerprints."

She said one category of information that needs to be kept between lawyers related to medical information, including mental health, and that "personal and intimate conversations with unrelated third parties" must be kept out of the public eye because — while the public relations value would be high — the evidentiary value would be "virtually non-existent."

Governski said there were "dozens and dozens of third parties" that would be identified by name in discovery materials, and "we think there is a significant chance of irreparable harm if marginally relevant information with high-profile individuals who are unrelated to the case fall into the wrong hands."

Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni and his production company, scoffed at Governski's statements, saying the judge's proposed order to keep potential evidence in the case secret while it is shared between attorneys and their clients was sufficient.

Freedman said the case was similar to others, despite the fame of its litigants, and he should be able to discuss potential evidence with his clients to properly defend them.

"Frankly we see no difference because someone is a celebrity" as to how the case should proceed, he said.

Freedman said Lively's lawyers could request that certain sensitive materials, such as medical information related to her claims that she suffered emotional distress, be kept between lawyers when the issue arises.

"If they need greater protection and need our clients not to see something, they could make a specific showing," he said.

The judge said he expects to rule soon. He noted there was a "presumption of public access" to the courts, and he cited the public's right to know how the court's resources are being used.

He has already warned lawyers to obey court rules about making public statements that could endanger a fair trial and suggested he could order a trial scheduled for March 9, 2026, to occur sooner if lawyers continued making fiery public comments.(AP)