Blake Lively is being asked to appear for a deposition as part of an ongoing legal dispute concerning legal fees and allegations made in a previous lawsuit. Jed Wallace, a public relations specialist named in Lively's initial administrative complaint in 2024, is requesting that the actress provide testimony before he pays $800,000 in legal fees that Lively is seeking to recover from him.
Wallace is seeking to question Lively about the accusations she made against him, specifically whether she was aware her allegations were false, if she acted with reckless disregard for the truth or ill will, or if she had a good-faith belief in her statements. According to court documents obtained by The Daily Mail, Wallace's legal team asserts that Lively's state of mind is the central issue, and her testimony is crucial to understanding her subjective knowledge and intent.
The legal conflict stems from an administrative complaint Lively filed in December 2024, which named Wallace as a defendant. The complaint described Wallace as a Texas-based contractor who allegedly used social media to promote content attacking Lively and defending her co-star, Justin Baldoni. However, when Lively filed a formal federal complaint 11 days later, Wallace and his firm were not included as defendants.
Wallace subsequently sued Lively in Texas for defamation, claiming he was wrongly implicated in the dispute after the initial complaint was distributed to the press. A judge dismissed Wallace's lawsuit on grounds of personal jurisdiction. Following this dismissal, Lively sought to recover her legal fees from Wallace.
Court documents indicate that Wallace's team claimed Lively was scheduled for a deposition on August 4, but her attorneys stated the notice had no legal basis. In response, Lively's lawyers called Wallace's filing "desperate" and "meritless," asserting that the actress had already provided a deposition in the matter and that Wallace's case had been dismissed with Lively as the victor. They suggested Wallace's actions were an attempt to avoid a fee award similar to one Lively won against Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios in New York.