In Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Suits, Judge Seeks to Limit Lawyer Comments

A federal judge, weighing in for the first time in dueling lawsuits between the actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, on Monday ordered lawyers on both sides to limit their commentary outside court, in an effort to tamp down some of the back-and-forth accusations in the highly publicized dispute.At a hearing in Federal District Court in Manhattan, a lawyer for the actress objected to what he called “inflammatory” comments by Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Mr.Baldoni, as he contests her allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation surrounding the movie “It Ends With Us.”Since Ms.

Lively came forward in December with claims against Mr.Baldoni — who directed the movie and starred in it with Ms.

Lively — Mr.Freedman has done media interviews and provided statements disputing the actress’s accusations that she was the victim of harassment and then a smear campaign.At the hearing, a lawyer for Ms.

Lively, Michael J.Gottlieb, said that Mr.

Freedman had unfairly attacked the actress’s character — including by accusing her of bullying behavior — warning that his statements threatened to taint the pool of potential jurors for an eventual trial.“You’re not supposed to launch attacks on the other party’s character,” Mr.Gottlieb said.Lawyers for Mr.

Baldoni have countered that Mr.Freedman’s comments have followed ethics rules and were made in response to a “media feeding frenzy” started by Ms.

Lively.Mr.

Freedman also read aloud statements from Ms.Lively’s legal team, including one that described Mr.

Baldoni’s lawsuit as employing a strategy associated with harassment called DARVO, which stands for “deny, attack and reverse victim and offender.”“This has not been a one-way street,” Mr.Freedman said at the hearing.The conflict between the two high-profile actors has become a fixation for Hollywood, tabloids and social media in recent weeks.

The legal dispute also includes a producer, public relations executives and jou...