Justin Baldoni’s legal team is fiercely contesting subpoenas issued by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ attorneys amid a bitter dispute that has engulfed the parties involved in the It Ends With Us project. The subpoenas, directed at telecom companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—as well as digital service providers like AOL and Cloudflare—seek extensive records, including call logs, texts, emails, and even location data.
In a letter addressed to federal Judge Lewis J. Liman, Baldoni’s lawyer Mitchell Schuster criticized the requests as overreaching. “If the Lively Parties were seeking only call, text, and data logs, their subpoenas would have been narrowly tailored. Instead, they demand ‘all documents’ relating to various phone numbers. This broad scope clearly encompasses content and additional sensitive information,” Schuster wrote.
The controversy centers on allegations from Lively’s side that Baldoni and his associated parties coordinated a retaliatory campaign following her submission of a sexual harassment complaint. Lively and Reynolds’ legal team maintain that the information sought is vital to establishing a chain of communication that supports her claims.
In contrast, Baldoni’s attorneys argue that the subpoenas are not only invasive but also extend far beyond what is necessary for civil litigation, invading the privacy of numerous third parties including family members and business contacts.
Schuster’s correspondence detailed a recent meeting between the opposing legal teams that ended without resolution, emphasizing the urgency of quashing the subpoenas before the filing deadline. He pointed out that some service providers had already indicated their intent to comply, a development that could complicate the case further.
As the legal battle unfolds with an amended complaint from Lively and Reynolds’ side expected shortly, both teams are preparing for a protracted fight. With the dispute involving high-profile figures and sensitive personal communications, the case continues to draw significant attention from industry insiders and legal observers alike.
