Court Ruling in Lively-Swift Case
It appears summer isn’t so easy this year.
A U.S. District Judge, Lewis Liman, ruled recently that Justin Bardoni has official access to private messages linked to the ongoing drama involving Blake Lively and Taylor Swift’s “It Ends With Us.” The judge dismissed Lively’s claims of needing protection orders from Bardoni, who is 41, concerning her messages to 35-year-old Swift during the current legal conflict.
Documents revealed by the court show that Judge Liman stated these messages must pertain to the 2024 film or Bardoni’s vibrant legal situation. His decision clears the way for Bardoni to access Swift’s communications as part of gathering evidence for claims of harassment and retaliation connected to the film.
Bardoni’s access to these messages was discussed amidst an unfolding legal battle. There seems to be a lot of back and forth. Lively’s team had proposed that Bardoni could access almost all documents related to the case—with the exception of messages with Swift—in exchange for all video footage connected to the film. In the end, Bardoni’s team decided against this deal.
A spokesperson for Lively mentioned that the court denied efforts to force Lively to provide more documents than what was already submitted, stating that Bardoni’s attempts to gain access to Swift’s communications are ongoing despite previous retractions of subpoenas.
There had been an odd turn of events back in May when Swift was summoned by Bardoni’s team as a witness, but the request was abruptly dropped shortly after. Swift’s representatives noted that she had no involvement in the film’s creation or any of its decisions, and her connection to the project was virtually non-existent until after its release.
The situation escalated with Bardoni alleging that Swift and Ryan Reynolds were involved in conversations about significant changes to the film. He even claimed that he had been threatened to release a message from Swift unless she publicly supported Lively. These claims were denied by all parties involved.
According to reports, Swift feels some strain in her friendship with Lively, with suggestions that there’s been a significant rift caused by the lawsuit, possibly leading to feelings of betrayal. Sources indicate Swift has distanced herself, even though Lively is still someone significant in her life, particularly regarding family ties.
The legal saga started in late 2024 when Bardoni filed a lawsuit against Lively, alleging harassment during filming. Lively, in turn, made serious allegations against Bardoni that included damaging emotional distress claims.
Despite ongoing disputes, the $400 million lawsuit against Lively was dismissed, while Bardoni’s own counterclaim was also thrown out. They are now set to go to trial in March 2026.
