Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle Over It Ends With Us Likely to Continue Through 2026: Legal Expert

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As a devoted admirer of both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, I can’t help but follow the ongoing legal disputes related to “It Ends With Us.” From what I gather, it appears this conflict between them is far from resolution.

Approximately a month and a half has elapsed since the individual first lodged a claim with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing the director and actor of the recently released summer blockbuster of sexually harassing her on set, followed by a retaliatory smear campaign after she voiced her concerns.

Afterward, Baldoni initiated a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, as they were the initial publishers of the actress’ accusations. Subsequently, Lively filed a suit against Baldoni, his two associates at Wayfarer Productions, and his publicist. In response, Baldoni countered with a lawsuit against Lively, alleging that she was responsible for tarnishing his reputation and orchestrating a plan to seize control of the film and its marketing. Baldoni’s lawsuit also implicates her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane.

With Baldoni and Lively’s legal advisors making preparations for the scheduled pretrial on February 12, we reached out to a legal authority to address some pressing inquiries.

During his chat with the media outlet, Gregory Doll, a legal expert from Doll Amir & Eley based in Los Angeles, expressed his doubts that the two celebrities would choose to bring their dispute to court.

In a straightforward manner: “He mentioned that an astonishing 92% of all civil lawsuits end in settlements, implying it’s highly probable that the Baldoni vs. Lively case, as well as many others, will reach a settlement. However, when comparing the Baldoni vs. Lively case with the Heard vs. Depp situation, Doll pointed out that the latter is an unusual exception.

In the context of the approaching February pretrial, I want to clarify that it’s not always necessary for us, the involved parties, to meet face-to-face. Instead, our legal representatives will manage the business matters on our behalf, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

Doll clarified that if things get tougher and a trial appears imminent, it’s still unlikely we’d go to court before 2026. That’s because this entire year will be spent on exchanging evidence and information about the case, a process called the discovery phase, which consumes the time.

Additionally, the attorney strongly opposed the notion of the court proceedings being publicized similarly to the Depp vs. Heard trial, as Lively’s lawsuit is being handled in federal court, which forbids any form of broadcasting, photography, or recording.

For those unfamiliar, “It Ends With Us” is a novel written by Colleen Hoover that has been very successful. A sequel to this book exists, but as there have been numerous legal complications with the first film adaptation, it seems unlikely that the sequel will be turned into a movie or TV series.

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2025-01-28 09:23