THE Judge responsible for the legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni fulfilled much of the actress’s request for an expanded protection order, aiming prevent the disclosure of certain information such as medical records and commercial secrets related to future business projects.
On Thursday (13), the magistrate declared in his decision that the order of standard protection of the court would not be sufficient to meet the needs of the case, given its sensitive and high profile nature.
“These cases involve both commercial competitors and sexual damage allegations,” the judge wrote, adding that the process of discovery will reveal “confidential and sensitive personal and personal information” and that “the risk of dissemination is great.”
Last month, Lively requested a more rigorous confidentiality agreement with additional protections to prevent certain information from leaking to the press. The actress’s lawyers also cited, in her February request to the judge, concerns about the privacy of high profile third parties involved in the case.
“Several individuals and corporations on both sides work in the public relations or media sector and have easy access to the press. The details of this case have been closely monitored by the media, and each side accused the other of conducting the dispute through the media, ”added the judge in his decision.
“And when confidential information is not disclosed, they can spread through gossip and insinuations within the artistic community, in order to harm one of the parts, but in a way that may not be detected immediately.”
The judge also determined that medical information, security and commercial secrets related to business and marketing plans for future projects will be classified as “exclusive to lawyers”, ensuring their protection.
However, due to the nature of a case of sexual harassment, the magistrate acknowledged that certain highly “personal and intimate on third parties” information would be difficult to protect.
In statement to CNN Lively’s lawyers stated that the judge “implemented the necessary protections to ensure the free flow of materials of the process without risk of witnesses or impaired to any individual’s safety.”
In a previous document, the actress’s lawyers of “That’s how it ends” have claimed that since she filed her complaint of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni in December 2024, she and other people have been the target of “violent, profane, sexist and threatening” online communications, including pornographic images published on her Instagram account.
Due to this alleged virtual harassment – in addition to concerns about disseminating security information, medical data and details about their young children – Lively’s team requested a more rigorous protection order.
On the other hand, the actor’s defense argued that the court’s standard protection order was sufficient. In a document presented in February, they stated that the additional restrictions proposed by the artist’s team would be just an effort to “hide” the public evidence that could undermine the image of the actress.
On Thursday (13), Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said he is “fully in agreement” with the judge’s decision to “provide limited protection to categories such as private mental health records and personal safety measures”, adding that these aspects have never interested us ”.
“We remain focused on the necessary communications that directly contradict Mrs. Lively’s unfounded accusations,” added Freedman. During a March 6 hearing on the subject, he argued that additional restrictions were “unnecessary.”
Lively’s lawyers told the judge at the hearing that actress and husband Ryan Reynolds were concerned about the possibility of their personal conversations, without relevance to the case, leaking to the press to generate media attention.
“There are millions of reasons for these parties to leak information, as the value of public relations exceeds the fulfillment of the court’s orders,” said Lively lawyer, Meryl Governanski.
Baldoni’s lawyer countered in court, saying that it was “offensive to suggest that we would disrespect a protection order.”
Lively’s defense argued that there should be more rigorous restrictions to protect public figures involved in the case. “There is a great chance of irreparable damage if marginal conversations with high -profile people, without relevance to the case, fall into the wrong hands,” his lawyer said at the hearing.
Freedman replied that Lively’s request for additional protections would give unfair and privileged treatment to “celebrities” and “powerful people in industry.”
The judge seemed to agree with the idea of not granting special treatment to the case for involving celebrities. “Much of what you are arguing is inherent in the nature of the case,” magistrate Liman told Lively’s lawyer in court.
“If you process a high profile person in this industry, this will be reported by the press. The highly relevant information will eventually be disclosed. ”
Throughout the judicial dispute between former cast colleagues, Baldoni’s team also opposed certain information during the process of proof discovery.
After Lively issues subpoenas to telephone operators and internet providers to get more than two years of records of calls, messages and emails from Baldoni and his team, the judge decided that the request was “excessively intrusive and disproportionate to the needs of the case”, allowing for “strictly necessary records to reveal relevant information.”
“This request involves legitimate interests of privacy,” the judge wrote in the decision.
After Lively, he was able to expand the protection order, Freedman declared the CNN that the subpoenas issued by Lively were “extremely wide.”
Remember: Blake Lively processes Justin Baldoni for harassment
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This content was originally published in Judge of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni decides to protect information from the case on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
