A judge has denied Justin Baldoni’s request for an extension to depose Taylor Swift in his federal lawsuit against Blake Lively.
Per documents obtained by Us Weekly on Friday, September 12, United States District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Baldoni, 41, and his legal team had not “demonstrated good cause for their requested extension. The only justification they have provided for the extension is their assertion that Swift’s preexisting professional obligations now prevent her from appearing for a deposition prior to October 20, 2025.”
Liman referenced Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, stating that “the Wayfarer Parties have provided no discussion of when they began attempting to schedule the deposition. Discovery has been ongoing in this case for approximately six months.”
The judge continued, “The Wayfarer Parties previously requested Swift’s deposition in May 2025 before ultimately withdrawing the subpoena. They have offered no evidence that they have served a renewed subpoena on Swift. Thus, at most, the Wayfarer Parties have demonstrated that scheduling the deposition now presents logistical difficulties; that does not answer the question of why the deposition ‘could not have been conducted earlier.’”
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In conclusion, Liman decreed, “Having failed to demonstrate appropriate diligence, the requested extension is denied.”
Us previously reported that Baldoni’s attorneys submitted a letter on Thursday, September 11 claiming that Swift “agreed” to be deposed next month. They stated that the deposition would take place between October 20 to October 25, and requested an extension on the deadline to depose third parties to allow them time to speak with the 35-year-old pop star.
Lively’s team responded by claiming that Baldoni “repeatedly sought to bring [Swift] into this litigation to fuel their relentless media strategy.”
They stated, “In this respect, [Baldoni and his team’s] lack of diligence, and disrespect for [Swift’s] privacy and schedule, is astounding.”
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On Friday, Swift’s lawyer refuted Baldoni’s claim that she had agreed to the deposition.
“As counsel for the parties know, since the inception of this matter we have consistently maintained that my client has no material role in this action,” Swift’s legal team stated in a letter obtained by Us.
“Further my client did not agree to a deposition, but if she is forced into a deposition, we advised (after first hearing about the deposition just three days ago) that her schedule would accommodate the time required during the week of October 20 if the parties were able to work out their disputes,” the filing, which was addressed to Liman, continued. “We take no role in those disputes.”
Swift’s team previously addressed being named in the Lively/Baldoni legal feud back in March, when Baldoni rescinded a subpoena against her.
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A rep for Swift stated at the time that she had no involvement in the film at the center of the lawsuit — It Ends With Us, which costarred Baldoni and Lively — and has no knowledge relevant to the dispute.
“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history,” the spokesperson added at the time.
Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment on the set of the film that he directed. She also claimed that he coordinated with a crisis PR team to launch a smear campaign against her, which he has denied. Baldoni then sued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, accusing the couple of extortion and defamation, but that lawsuit was dismissed in June.
