Blake Lively Subpoenas Justin Baldoni’s phone records to find more smear campaign evidence

5 Min Read
The Shallows Premiere In New York City
Photo Credit: ACE/INFphoto.com

In a dramatic turn of events, just a week after Justin Baldoniโ€˜s legal team unveiled a website showcasing alleged โ€œreceiptsโ€ from the It Ends with Us set, Blake Livelyโ€˜s team has launched an aggressive legal strategy, issuing subpoenas to major telecommunications companies including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, AOL, Cloudflare, Inc., and PR crisis expert Jed Wallace.

In a statement to Variety, Livelyโ€™s attorneys Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb declared, โ€œMs. Lively has initiated discovery that will expose the people, tactics, and methods that have worked to โ€˜destroyโ€™ and โ€˜buryโ€™ her reputation and family over the past year. Subpoenas went out to the entitiesโ€ฆ We will now receive all of the โ€˜receiptsโ€™ that, unsurprisingly, are nowhere to be found on Mr. Freedmanโ€™s website, and like Ms. Lively, those โ€˜receiptsโ€™ will have their day in court.โ€

The legal team representing Lively is seeking to examine phone records belonging to Baldoni, This Ends with Us producer Jamey Heath, and Wayfarer Studiosโ€™ billionaire co-founder Steve Sarowitz.

โ€œThe Adam Projectโ€ World Premiere
February 28, 2022 โ€“ New York, New York โ€“ Blake Lively. The Adam Project Netflix World Premiere held at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. Photo Credit: LJ Fotos/AdMedia

Speaking to Variety, Blakeโ€™s representative stated, โ€œPhone records belonging to all of the individual defendants will expose the full web of individuals who were involved in the smear campaign against Ms. Lively. Such records will provide critical and irrefutable evidence not only about who, but also about when, where, and how their retaliation plan came together and operated.โ€

While Baldoniโ€™s team remains silent on the subpoenas, Wallace has countered by filing a defamation lawsuit against Lively.

Wallaceโ€™s attorney Chip Babcock informed TMZ, โ€œBlake Lively made false statements to the press through a private administrative filing, claiming Mr. Wallace and Street Relations had sexually harassed her, retaliated against her, aided and abetted others who did the same, breached a contract with her and engaged in other improper conduct. Mr. Wallace, who is a very private person, has never met or spoken to Ms. Lively. Ever. He has not engaged in a smear campaign against her at any point in time. The decision to file this lawsuit to rightfully protect himself and his family was made after Ms. Lively not only filed against him first in Texas but indicated she intended to name him in yet another lawsuit.โ€

The legal battle intensified after Livelyโ€™s December accusations of sexual harassment against Baldoni and her naming of Wallace in the smear campaign complaint. Baldoni responded with a massive $400-million defamation lawsuit.

Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Film Kissing Scene For 'It Ends With Us'
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni spotted filming a kissing scene at the โ€˜It Ends With Usโ€™ set in New Jersey. When: 12 Jan 2024. Photo Credit: Jose Perez/INSTARimages

Currently, the courts are treating Lively and Baldoniโ€™s lawsuits as a single case.

Judge Lewis J. Liman recently stepped in, urging both parties to maintain decorum and adhere to New York Rules of Professional Conduct to prevent jury pool contamination.

While the trial isnโ€™t scheduled until March 2026, Judge Liman has warned that continued hostilities between the parties could result in an expedited trial date.

Neither Lively, Reynolds, nor Baldoni attended the court proceedings, which took place following a motion requesting a gag order against Baldoniโ€™s attorney, Bryan Freeman.

The 2017 Summer TCA Tour CBS Television Studios' Summer Soiree
Justin Baldoni at the 2017 Summer TCA Tour โ€“ CBS Television Studiosโ€™ Summer Soiree At CBS Studios on 8/1/17 In Los Angeles, California. Photo Credit: INSTARimages.com

Earlier, Livelyโ€™s legal representatives had requested an urgent hearing to โ€œaddress the appropriate conduct,โ€ citing โ€œimminent harm caused by Mr. Freedmanโ€™s misleading and selective statements and leaks.โ€

Despite the motion filed by Livelyโ€™s team, the court did not implement an official gag order.


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