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Blake Lively's legal proceedings in her dispute with Justin Baldoni have experienced a delay, with her deposition now rescheduled for July 31. The change followed a joint decision by both legal teams after a recent court ruling altered the scope of the case.
The deposition had originally been planned for July 17 but was postponed after the court dismissed claims against Jed Wallace, a publicist based in Texas. Wallace was removed from the lawsuit due to procedural issues, with the judge citing a lack of jurisdiction in New York. This dismissal was made without prejudice, allowing Lively the opportunity to refile the complaint in a different jurisdiction or amend it before the end of July.
Lively had accused Wallace, who runs a crisis management firm, of being involved in an online smear campaign allegedly coordinated by Baldoni and his publicity team. She claimed he played a key role in managing digital narratives aimed at damaging her reputation. However, the judge found insufficient grounds to pursue the matter in New York since Wallace's activities and business are based elsewhere.
Following the court's decision, Lively's team maintained that the dismissal did not reflect the substance of her accusations but was instead a procedural outcome. According to TM, her representatives indicated they were considering alternative legal avenues to hold Wallace accountable for his alleged role in the situation.
The deposition, which was set to take place at a private location following a protective order granted to Lively, has also become a topic of discussion between both sides. The actress's legal team is pushing to limit the session to a single day, citing federal guidelines that typically allow depositions to last up to seven hours. In contrast, Wallace's side has hinted that if he is reintroduced into the case, further testimony may be requested.
Lively's larger legal case, which began in late 2024, centres on claims of inappropriate conduct in the workplace and acts of retaliation by Baldoni, allegations he has firmly rejected. In a previous development, Baldoni's counterclaims against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds were thrown out by the court in June 2025, and his team chose not to refile them.
Both parties are expected to testify at the trial scheduled for March 2026 in New York.
