Blake Lively has successfully secured a ruling from a judge regarding the location of her upcoming deposition in her sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, her director and co-star in “It Ends With Us.” The deposition is scheduled for Thursday.
Initially, Baldoni’s legal team proposed that the deposition be conducted at their firm’s offices on Park Avenue. However, Lively’s attorneys raised concerns that such a setting could turn into a media circus, potentially exposing Lively to paparazzi and the risk of social media influencers attending, which could compromise the confidentiality of the proceedings.
In response to these worries, Lively’s team filed a motion seeking an alternative location and requested a list of attendees from Baldoni’s team to ensure transparency. Judge Lewis Liman granted this request, allowing Lively to choose the deposition venue while also directing Baldoni’s lawyers to provide a list of everyone who would be present at the deposition.
Notably, Baldoni’s lead attorney, Bryan Freedman, has previously suggested holding the deposition in a public venue, even mischievously proposing Madison Square Garden as a location, pledging to donate proceeds to organizations that support domestic abuse victims. However, Lively’s legal team argued that such remarks indicated a lack of professionalism on the opposing side, raising further concerns about maintaining the seriousness of the deposition process.
This ruling indicates strong judicial support for protecting Lively’s privacy during a potentially challenging situation, illustrating the court’s intention to prevent any exploitation of the legal process for media gain. It underscores the delicate balance between legal proceedings and the public’s interest in high-profile cases, raising important questions about celebrity privacy rights in the legal arena.
Overall, the decision is a significant step in ensuring that Lively’s legal rights are preserved while navigating these challenging circumstances.