Blake Lively has suffered another setback in her ongoing legal dispute with star and director Justin Baldoni.According to the latest reports, the judge rejected her request to present additional arguments in her attempt to recover legal fees.
TMZ reports that court filings indicate that the judge on Monday denied Lively’s request to file supplemental briefs and present “evidence” before the final ruling.Lively claimed that she qualifies as the “prevailing party” under California law and is therefore entitled to damages and legal fees. In her filings, the actress is also reportedly seeking “triple damages and punitive damages,” escalating the financial risks of the dispute.The update comes after Blake and Justin settled their dispute, days before the trial on May 18.According to Page Six, the legal battle between the ‘It Ends With Us’ co-stars is believed to have cost both sides a combined US$60 million.Her legal team had made suggestions on the issue earlier in the proceedings, but sought to expand its arguments with additional evidence. However, the court rejected the request and is likely to proceed with its ruling, without further briefing from either side.
After the settlement, Lively’s lawyers described the result as a “resounding victory,” arguing that Baldoni and the other defendants now face personal liability for what they called attempts to “abuse the legal system to silence and intimidate” their client.Amid the legal battle, Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, made headlines on Sunday when he shared a Mother’s Day tribute to the “love of my life” on social media. “I appreciate this mother beyond measure,” he wrote in the post, also praising her role as a mother to their four children.Lively later reshared the post on her social media stories, and responded with a hilarious message saying: “I’m a big fan of yours too.”