Blake Lively Scores Victory Ahead of Deposition in Justin Baldoni Case

A New York judge has granted Blake Lively’s motion for a protective order ahead of her scheduled deposition.

According to the ruling obtained by Deadline on Monday, July 14, the actress, 37, may choose the location of her deposition scheduled for Thursday, July 17.

The ruling stated, “Lively will make arrangements for [Justin Baldoni’s legal team] to have a dedicated computer and the ability to print and copy documents in the space chosen by Lively.”

Additionally, Baldoni’s team must notify Lively’s side of exactly who will attend the deposition by midday on Tuesday, July 15.

Us Weekly has reached out to Baldoni, 41, and Lively’s teams for comment.

Prior to the ruling, Baldoni’s legal team sent a letter to the judge, calling Lively’s request an attempt to use her “celebrity status” to dictate and control the deposition “at a location of her choosing.”

“Lively is a plaintiff who has hurled serious allegations of misconduct against the Wayfarer Parties,” the letter obtained by Entertainment Weekly continued. “Like all defendants, the Wayfarer Parties are entitled to depose Lively to develop evidence crucial to their defense. They are also entitled to choose the location of the deposition, which they did.”

Lively’s attorney, however, alleged that Baldoni’s legal team did not address privacy and safety concerns ahead of the deposition. Lively’s team cited previous comments made by Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, in the press.

During one instance, Freedman suggested Lively could be deposed at a major New York City venue like Madison Square Garden.

“Since Ms. Lively is open to testifying, let’s make it count,” he told People in May. “Hold the deposition at MSG, sell tickets or stream it, and donate every dollar to organizations helping victims of domestic abuse.”

Lively and Baldoni’s legal drama began in December 2024, when the actress accused her It Ends With Us costar and director of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and purposefully creating a smear campaign against her.

Baldoni strongly denied the allegations and countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane three months later. In June, a judge dismissed his lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and Sloane, who all denied the allegations.

Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni is set to go to trial in March 2026. Until then, her team says the actress is ready for the next steps in the legal process.

“Ms. Lively is looking forward to her deposition next week, and it should follow the same rules as every other witness in this case,” Lively’s reps told People on Friday, July 11. “Justin Baldoni’s lawyer has tried to make this matter a public spectacle at every turn, even proposing to sell tickets to a televised deposition at Madison Square Garden. This is a serious matter of sexual harassment and retaliation and it deserves to be treated as such.”