Judge Warns Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Lawyers to Rein in PR War Outside Courtroom and Avoid Influencing Jury

A New York judge cautioned Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s lawyers not to litigate their legal battle in the press as the two sides faced off in court for the first time since their clients sued each other.

Lively, 37, is accusing her It Ends With Us costar and director Baldoni, 41, and others of damaging her reputation in the press after she reported sexual harassment on set. In turn, Baldoni has filed defamation lawsuits against her, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, is also running a PR campaign to fight back against her claims.

Lively's lawyers attempted to limit Freedman, asking the judge to stop him from speaking to the press in ways that could influence the jury. They also expressed worries about a website Baldoni and his team recently launched in an apparent attempt to bolster his accusations against Lively.

At the Monday, Feb. 3 pretrial conference at United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Lewis Liman addressed the issue. He threatened to expedite the trial if the parties do not rein in the public relations war outside the courtroom. The judge also instructed both parties to comply with the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibit attorneys from making comments that could have a "substantial likelihood" of biasing a jury.

Freedman said his “clients are devastated financially and emotionally.” The It Ends With Us actors are preparing to head to trial in March 2026.

Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, attorneys for Lively, said in a statement, “We are pleased with the result of today’s hearing and eager to move forward immediately with discovery in this case."

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"The court granted our request that all attorneys in the matter actually follow the rule of law and not make any statements that could prejudice a jury," they continued. "This case deals with serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation. We will hold the defendants accountable, and we are confident that once all the evidence is submitted in this matter, Ms. Lively will prevail."

Freedman told reporters outside court, according to The Hollywood Reporter, “I couldn’t be more pleased with how the case was handled today. We’re going to move as quickly as possible and prove our innocence."

In December, Lively sued Baldoni, her costar and director, claiming he sexually harassed her during the course of making the movie, and then retaliated against her with a media smear campaign after she spoke up. In her suit, she also named two of Baldoni’s colleagues at his production company Wayfarer, which developed It Ends With Us, as well as two publicists.

Weeks later on Jan. 16, Baldoni filed his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, claiming it was Lively who smeared Baldoni with false accusations, and that she plotted to take control of the movie and its promotion.

Related: Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni Legal Battle Will Likely Get 'Nastier' Before Anyone Settles: Expert (Exclusive)

After Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman released a 10-minute video from the set of the movie — intended to refute some of Lively’s claims — and announced plans to launch a website to show what he claimed would be evidence to support Baldoni’s case, Lively’s team asked Liman to address “the appropriate conduct of counsel.”

They stated in their letter to Liman that "federal litigation must be conducted in court and according to the relevant rules of professional conduct" and claimed Freedman's actions risked "tainting” a potential jury pool.

Another Baldoni attorney, Kevin Fritz, responded in a Jan. 23 letter, calling the move an “intimidation tactic” and asked Liman to reject any prospective gag order Lively's team may request.

He argued that Lively “initiated” a “media feeding frenzy” by allegedly supplying The New York Times with a copy of her initial complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. The Times published Lively’s claims in a Dec. 21 article, and Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against the news outlet.

Read the original article on People