Judge Says Blake Lively Must Hand Over Taylor Swift Private Texts in Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

A federal judge has ruled that actor and director Justin Baldoni can access private texts between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift related to the film It Ends With Us, despite Lively’s attempts to block the request. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman denied Lively’s motion for a protective order, stating that the texts could help confirm or disprove Lively’s claims of harassment and retaliation on set.

In a 17-page ruling, Judge Liman made clear that Lively herself introduced Taylor Swift into the legal dispute by referencing their private conversations as evidence. The judge noted:

“The mere fact that the request has been discussed in the press does not render it illegitimate… Lively herself has identified Swift as someone likely to have knowledge about complaints or discussions regarding the working environment.” – Judge Liman

Lively’s legal team argued the messages were irrelevant and accused Baldoni’s camp—particularly his attorney Brian Friedman—of using the Swift subpoena for PR purposes. But the judge pushed back, writing that while litigants often try to sway public opinion, this motion was legally sound. “It may also be an attempt to maneuver in the broader court of public opinion,” Liman said. “But it is still a legitimate litigation tactic.”

The Timeline and the Taylor Factor

The texts in question were originally requested by Baldoni’s team back in February. At the time, Lively agreed to provide them by July 1. She then filed a motion to shield any messages involving Swift, arguing that the inclusion of a global pop star was unnecessary and invasive.

Judge Liman disagreed. He ruled that while the messages remain confidential under court-issued protective orders, they are legally relevant and cannot be withheld. He also clarified that Blake will not be compelled to turn them over early—the July 1 deadline still stands.

Lively had offered to exchange other materials—including production footage and full communications from Baldoni’s team—in return for excluding Swift’s texts. Baldoni’s side declined. The judge made it clear: no one gets to rewrite discovery terms after the fact.

Related | Justin Baldoni’s $400 Million Lawsuit Against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Dismissed

Key Sources

Blake Lively may have hoped to shield Taylor Swift from the fallout, but once she invoked their conversations as evidence, the court had every right to examine them. Judge Liman’s ruling was not only thorough, it was fair: no rush to compel, no favoritism granted, and no room for dramatics. The countdown to July 1 has begun—and now, everyone’s watching to see what those texts say.

Rolling Stone — Blake Lively Must Hand Over Taylor Swift Texts to Justin Baldoni, Says Judge

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TMZ — Justin Baldoni Allowed Access to Blake Lively and Taylor Swift’s Texts, Judge Rules