Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Trial May Start Early Unless Lawyers Limit Press Engagement: Judge

Pre-trial proceedings have begun in the legal fight between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni. In December, the actress accused Baldoni — who also directed the film — of sexual harassment on set and coordinating a smear campaign against her during the press cycle for the movie. On Monday, Judge Lewis Liman heard from legal representatives for both parties at a pre-trial conference held at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

While neither Baldoni nor Lively appeared in court for the hearing, the presence of their attorneys was particularly relevant to the case as the judge addressed ongoing publicity campaigns that could potentially impact the jury pool.

It was a concern raised by Lively’s legal team in regards to Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman. “Their statements are being amplified on social media. It’s very hard to unring the bell,” Lively’s lawyer Michael Gottlieb said today, per Inner City Press via X (formerly Twitter), noting statements made to the press by Freedman.

Freedman has suggested that Gottlieb was responsible, at least in part, for the bombshell New York Times article regarding Lively’s accusations against Baldoni, who is currently suing the publication for libel and false light invasion of privacy. Liman maintained that Freedman doesn’t have “enough evidence” to attribute the article to Gottlieb. Baldoni’s representatives also stated plans to drop The New York Times suit filed in Los Angeles state court in favor of folding it into a larger defamation complaint.

Freedman did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.

Given that both legal parties have accused the other of weaponizing the press in similar ways, Liman has instructed both Baldoni and Lively’s representatives to adhere to the New York Rules of Professional Conduct for trial publicity, according to Variety. Under the New York State Unified Court System, attorneys are barred from making extrajudicial statements that will have a “substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in the matter.”

If statements made to the press continue to be a primary concern as the trial date approaches, the date may be moved. “If it turns out this ends of being litigated in the press I may accelerate the date of the trial,” Liman said per Inner City Press. “Unless this case is settled, a jury will speak.”

The trail is currently scheduled to begin on March 9, 2026. Additional pre-trial hearings will occur in the coming months.