Legal filings, the publishing platform of choice

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For today’s rich and famous, the most impactful medium of self-expression isn’t a tweet or blog post — it’s a legal filing.

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Take Blake Lively and co-star Justin Baldoni, who are currently locked in a war of court documents. Or Bill Ackman, who published a 72-page letter from his lawyer demanding that Business Insider retract plagiarism claims against his wife. Even hip-hop mogul Drake has deployed court filings as part of his feud with Kendrick Lamar.

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Why the courtroom drama? Because legal filings do something Instagram posts and Twitter threads can’t — they carry actual weight. When a celebrity takes a dispute to court, the media pays attention. Reporters cover the filings. Headlines are written. The public listens. In contrast, self-published statements online are often dismissed as self-serving and largely ignored by mainstream journalists.

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Increasingly, what looks like a serious legal matter is often a clever PR maneuver. Filing a lawsuit or legal response ensures a level of credibility and visibility that social media can’t match. It’s not just about winning in court — it’s about winning in the court of public opinion.

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So, next time you see a celebrity lawsuit making waves, ask yourself: Is this a battle of legal principles or just a public relations masterstroke?