Kamal Ghorui
Blake Lively has suffered another setback in her ongoing legal dispute with ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.According to the latest reports, a judge shot down her request to submit additional arguments in her bid to recover legal fees. TMZ reports that court filings indicate that a judge on Monday, denied Lively’s motion to file supplemental briefs and present ‘evidence’ before a final ruling.Lively has argued that under California law, she qualifies as the ‘prevailing party’ and is therefore entitled to damages and legal fees. In her filings, the actress is also reportedly seeking “compensatory damages tripled, and punitive damages,” escalating the financial stakes of the dispute.The update comes after both Blake and Justin settled their dispute, days ahead of the May 18 trial.According to Page Six, the legal battle between the ‘It Ends With Us’ co-stars is believed to have cost both sides a combined USD 60 million.Her legal team had submitted motions on the matter earlier in the proceedings but sought to expand their arguments with additional evidence. However, the court declined the request and would likely proceed with its ruling, without further briefing from either side.Following the settlement, Lively’s attorneys described the outcome as a “resounding victory,” arguing that Baldoni and 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 hit the headlines on Sunday, when he shared a Mother’s Day tribute to the ‘love of my life’ on social media. In the post, he wrote, “I appreciate this mother beyond measure” and also praised her role as a mother to their four children.Lively later reshared the post on her own social media stories, responding with a playful message that read, “I happen to be pretty fond of you too.”
