In a decisive ruling that brings reduction to one in every of music’s largest stars, Taylor Swift is not going to be deposed within the ongoing authorized battle between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Full of life and Justin Baldoni, in response to a Friday night (September 12, 2025) resolution by federal Choose Lewis Liman.
The ruling successfully ends what had grow to be a dramatic 24-hour authorized saga that noticed conflicting claims about whether or not the Grammy-winning artist had truly agreed to testify within the sexual harassment case. Choose Liman decided that Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios crew “did not show acceptable diligence” and waited too lengthy to request the deposition.
Swift By no means Agreed to Testify
Regardless of claims from Baldoni’s authorized crew that Swift had consented to a deposition, the pop famous person’s legal professional shortly set the file straight. “My consumer didn’t comply with a deposition, but when she is compelled right into a deposition, we suggested (after first listening to in regards to the deposition simply three days in the past) that her schedule would accommodate the time required in the course of the week of October 20 if the events had been capable of work out their disputes,” wrote Swift’s lawyer Douglas Baldridge.
The confusion started on Thursday (September 11, 2025) when Baldoni’s attorneys filed court docket paperwork claiming Swift had agreed to be questioned underneath oath. Nevertheless, Swift’s authorized crew responded inside hours, clarifying that the “Love Story” singer had by no means truly consented to the deposition and would solely take part if ordered by the court docket.
Too Little, Too Late for Baldoni’s Workforce
Choose Liman’s ruling highlighted the timing points that finally doomed Baldoni’s request. “The one justification they’ve supplied for the extension is their assertion that Swift’s preexisting skilled obligations now stop her from showing for a deposition previous to October 20, 2025,” the choose wrote. Extra damaging to Baldoni’s case was the truth that discovery had been ongoing for roughly six months, but his crew waited till the ultimate days to contact Swift’s representatives.
The choose famous that Baldoni’s crew had beforehand subpoenaed Swift for a deposition again in Could 2025 however finally withdrew that request. “They’ve supplied no proof that they’ve served a renewed subpoena on Swift. Thus, at most, the Wayfarer events have demonstrated that scheduling the deposition now presents logistical difficulties; that doesn’t reply the query of why the deposition couldn’t have been performed earlier”.
Blake Full of life’s attorneys didn’t maintain again of their criticism of Baldoni’s last-minute deposition try. “The Wayfarer Defendants have repeatedly sought to deliver Ms. Swift into this litigation to gas their relentless media technique,” Full of life’s authorized crew argued in court docket filings. They characterised the timing as “astounding” disrespect for Swift’s privateness and packed schedule.
“Ms. Swift is somebody whose calendar must be presumed to be full of skilled obligations for months prematurely. At any level over the previous six months, the Wayfarer defendants might have observed a deposition, served a subpoena and negotiated an agreeable time and place for this deposition. However they didn’t,” wrote Full of life’s lawyer Michael Gottlieb.
Background on the Lawsuit
The underlying case stems from Full of life’s allegations that Baldoni sexually harassed her in the course of the filming of It Ends With Us and subsequently orchestrated a smear marketing campaign in opposition to her when she complained. Whereas Baldoni’s countersuit in opposition to Full of life and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, was dismissed, Full of life continues to pursue her claims of sexual harassment and retaliation.
Swift’s connection to the case comes by her longtime friendship with Full of life and her contribution of the track “My Tears Ricochet” to the movie’s soundtrack. In June, Choose Liman granted Baldoni’s request to entry textual content messages between Swift and Full of life as a part of the invention course of, although the content material of these communications stays underneath court docket seal.
What’s Subsequent
With Swift formally out of the image, the case strikes ahead with out one in every of leisure’s largest potential witnesses. The trial is scheduled for March 9, 2026, and depositions for the primary events should be accomplished by September 30, 2025. Choose Liman did grant Full of life’s crew a 10-day extension to depose Baldoni and two of his Wayfarer Studios co-founders, citing delays in doc manufacturing.
The ruling represents a big victory for each Swift and Full of life, successfully shutting down what many considered as an try to generate media consideration by involving one of many world’s most well-known celebrities in an already high-profile Hollywood authorized battle.
