Washington [US], January 28 : Amid the ongoing legal battle going on between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, a new development has taken place. Baldoni and Lively could be headed for a trial on March 9, 2026, said a judge, as reported by Variety.
Lively, who filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December, has accused the director of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of the upcoming 2024 film.
The judge, Lewis J. Liman, said Monday that he will hold an initial hearing on February 3, as per the outlet.
At that hearing, Lively's attorneys are expected to request an order prohibiting Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, from launching a public relations campaign over the issue.
Blake Lively's lawsuit alleges that she and other cast and crew members of 'It Ends With Us' experienced "invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behaviour" from Baldoni on set.
She further accuses him of retaliating against her by working with a crisis PR team to harm her reputation.
In response, Justin Baldoni has denied all allegations. Through his legal team, he has filed a USD 400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds
Freedman has stated that he intends to create a website to provide proof refuting Lively's harassment allegations. Lively's attorneys seek a protective injunction that would limit the sharing of discovery materials.
They also want the judge to remind Freedman of his duty under professional conduct guidelines, reported Variety.
Last week, Lively's solicitors, led by Michael Gottlieb, requested a hearing "as soon as possible" to address Freedman's media claims. The judge agreed to move the initial hearing date, which was initially planned for February 12, forward nine days, according to the outlet.
Liman plans to consolidate the two federal cases. On Monday, the judge asked the parties to set up a briefing schedule that would allow a trial to begin on March 9, 2026.
However, the date could be cancelled if the two reach a settlement before, reported Variety.
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