The legal battle between Blake Energetic and Justin Baldoni continues to heat up, with the actress’s attorney disclosing her plans to file a revised grievance with fresh allegations against the actor.
The warring co-stars’ lawyers were in court on Monday for a pre-trial session, during which they got right into a heated exchange regarding the case and the necessity for a protective order.
While Blake Energetic’s request for a gag order against Justin Baldoni’s lawyer was denied, the judge presiding over the case said he’ll adopt a rule to make sure each attorneys control what they share.
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Blake Energetic To Make Fresh Allegations Against Justin Baldoni
Energetic’s lawyer has hinted at her intentions to file a brand new grievance with fresh allegations against Justin Baldoni.
During an 11 am pre-trial court session that did not require each stars to be in attendance, Energetic’s lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, denied the claim that the “Gossip Girl” star was purposely dragging her feet within the lawsuit, saying that she’ll, in reality, be filing an updated grievance with fresh allegations.
In line with the Day by day Mail, Gottlieb told the court they plan so as to add “each claims and parties” to a revised grievance, which they’ll file by Valentine’s Day.
Energetic and Baldoni have been embroiled in a legal battle after she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him, by which she also accused him of masterminding a “coordinated effort to destroy her fame.”
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Blake Energetic’s Gag Order Request Thrown Out
Energetic and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, had asked the judge presiding over the case, Judge Lewis Liman, at hand Baldoni’s lawyer a gag order for allegedly making false statements about their case.
They claimed that the protective order would prevent Baldoni’s attorney from engaging in “improper conduct,” including happening a “harassing and retaliatory media campaign” against them.
Nonetheless, Judge Liman didn’t appear to be swayed by their argument and denied their request. As a substitute, he disclosed that he’d be adopting a rule for lawyers referred to as Rule 3.6, which bars each parties from making extrajudicial statements that might influence the jury.
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“My expectation is the parties will comply with their ethical obligations. I do not expect this case to devolve into satellite litigation over the comments of a lawyer,” Liman said. “Each have said quite a bit within the pleadings that give the general public plenty to feast upon.”
Elsewhere in the course of the court session, Gottlieb criticized Freedman for making statements outside of court that allegedly attacked Energetic’s “character, integrity, and truthfulness.”
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The Actress’s Bid To Prevent Deposition With Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer, Bryan Freedman, Was Denied
Baldoni seemingly scored what he’ll see as a legal win after Judge Liman denied Energetic’s argument that sought to bar Freedman from being the lawyer to carry her deposition.
The actor has since fired back at Energetic’s sexual harassment lawsuit together with his own $400 million counter-filing, where he accused her and Reynolds of attempting to hijack his film with their power and influence.
Recent reports suggested that the couple would “imminently” be subpoenaed to provide all types of communication, including text and emails, about Baldoni and “It Ends With Us.”
A source with insider knowledge told the Day by day Mail that Reynolds and Energetic, together with their publicist Leslie Sloane, also face a deposition, which is able to see them ordered to supply hours of testimony and be quizzed by Baldoni’s lawyers.
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Energetic’s attorney, Gottlieb, tried to stop Freedman from being the lawyer who would conduct Energetic’s deposition. Nonetheless, based on the news outlet, Judge Liman rejected it, saying, “I do not think that is going to occur,” as he noted that Gottlieb would not be the one to come to a decision.
Blake Energetic Moves To Protect Her Celebrity Friends
Many other people could also be dragged into Energetic and Baldoni’s legal war, as Gottlieb stated in court that he’ll seek a protective order to guard Energetic and Reynold’s celebrity friends.
Although no name was mentioned, Baldoni had previously referenced Taylor Swift in his $400 million countersuit against Energetic, claiming she used the popstar to pressure him.
“We do consider there will likely be provisions in a protective order that will likely be appropriate on this case given the character of the allegations and the high profile nature of a few of the individuals who will likely be involved,” Gottlieb said.
“There’s a major variety of high-profile individuals on either side,” he added. “Specifically, addressing the interests and desires of third parties goes to be very vital on this case.”
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The judge agreed with him and said that even before the opposite parties were named, “you already got plenty of high-profile people” involved. Baldoni’s lawyer also stated that he’d be prepared to comply with the order.
The Actress Is Frightened About The ‘Profound Consequences’ Of The Legal Battle
Energetic and Reynolds alleged in a letter that Baldoni remains to be waging a “retaliation campaign” against the actress and that how the case is being treated “can have profound consequences.”
In line with Deadline, the couple’s lawyer made the claims in an earlier letter sent to Judge Liman, by which they doubled down on the necessity for a gag order.
“Requiring counsel to heed the moral rules that bind them shouldn’t be a gag order; it’s a mechanism that will make sure the proceedings on this Court should not prejudiced by counsel’s conduct outside of the courtroom,” attorney Esra Hudson wrote on behalf of the couple.
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“The Wayfarer Parties try to attract a dangerous false equivalence that will have profound consequences not only for this case, but for other women who’re sexually harassed within the workplace given the high profile of this matter,” the letter continued.
