Taylor Swift's legal team moves to quash subpoena in Justin Baldoni–Blake Lively court battle
Taylor Swift’s legal team is fighting to quash a subpoena served by actor and director Justin Baldoni amid his legal clash with Blake Lively over the film It Ends With Us. The subpoena, aimed at Venable LLP—a law firm that has represented Swift for more than a decade—seeks private communications involving Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their attorney Michael Gottlieb.
'Taylor Swift.'
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Venable, headquartered in Washington D.C., filed a motion on Monday to invalidate the subpoena, arguing the firm has no connection to the film or any legal claims in the case. The filing sharply criticized the subpoena as a distraction tactic meant to burden a third party with no direct relevance to the litigation.
“The subpoena serves no legitimate purpose,” the motion stated, adding that any documents Baldoni wants should be sought directly from Lively or Reynolds. The request specifically names Venable partner Douglas Baldridge, a longtime legal adviser to Swift and former general counsel at her company, 13 Management.
Lively and Reynolds backed Venable’s motion in a separate court filing, accusing Baldoni of misusing the discovery process. They described the subpoena as legally excessive and strategically motivated.
Swift was also targeted by a similar subpoena just days earlier. Her representatives issued a strong response, saying the request was intended to exploit Swift’s public image to stir media interest rather than to advance the facts of the case. They reiterated that Swift had no role in the film’s development or the ongoing dispute.
The controversy stems from Lively’s December lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment during the film’s production and alleging a retaliatory campaign afterward. Baldoni has denied all claims and filed a countersuit in January, accusing Lively of defamation and asserting that she enlisted powerful friends to undermine him.
Court filings include text messages in which Lively refers to Swift and Reynolds as her “most trusted partners” and compares them to “dragons” from Game of Thrones. Baldoni’s legal team argued this shows the level of outside influence being used against him.
No further comments have been provided by representatives for Swift, Lively, Reynolds, or Baldoni. Venable has also not responded to follow-up requests.
The case continues to draw attention for its high-profile personalities and the unusual legal entanglements connecting Hollywood power players.
