Blake Lively Allegedly Satisfied With First Court Hearing Amid Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

New reports suggest that Blake Lively is exhausted from the ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni but remains steadfast in her pursuit of justice.

On Monday, legal teams for both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni appeared in court for the first time since she sued him for sexual harassment, followed by his countersuit against her and The New York Times.

Despite past reports, a new source close to the actress told TMZ that the situation has taken a deep emotional toll on both Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, causing them significant distress that allegedly began during the filming of "It Ends with Us."

Now, Lively is eager to see the case resolved in court, where she believes the facts will speak for themselves.

According to insiders, Lively feels optimistic about how the hearing played out, particularly because the judge addressed Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, cautioning him against making inflammatory comments in the media that could influence the jury pool. She was even seen smiling in a selfie shared on Reynolds' Instagram Stories recently.

Sources say Lively is prepared to take the stand, hoping to focus the case on her serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation. Her team dismisses Baldoni’s counterclaims as a “sideshow” meant to shift attention toward the final edit of "It Ends with Us," rather than the misconduct allegations.

The legal battle stems from Lively and Baldoni’s time co-starring in the film, which was directed by Baldoni.

Justin Baldoni has secured a major legal win in his ongoing court battle with his "It Ends with Us" co-star as a judge denied Lively and Reynolds' request for a gag order against Baldoni’s legal team.

During a pre-trial hearing on Monday, tensions flared between both parties' attorneys, with Judge Lewis Liman warning that the trial date could be pushed back if the legal battle continued to play out in the media. Lively and Baldoni have been embroiled in an increasingly contentious lawsuit since Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, which led to his $400 million countersuit against her.

Lively and Reynolds had requested a protective order against Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, arguing that he was engaging in a "harassing and retaliatory media campaign" and violating court rules by making statements to the press that could prejudice the jury.

However, Judge Liman rejected their request, instead implementing Rule 3.6, which bars both legal teams from making extrajudicial statements that could influence jury members.

"My expectation is the parties will comply with their ethical obligations," Liman stated, according to The Daily Mail. "I don't expect this case to devolve into satellite litigation over the comments of a lawyer. Both have said a lot in the pleadings that give the public plenty to feast upon."

The courtroom proceedings turned heated as Freedman and Lively’s attorney, Matthew Gotlieb, exchanged verbal jabs. Gotlieb accused Freedman of attacking Lively’s "character, integrity, and truthfulness" through media statements. Freedman, however, pushed back, asserting that Lively’s team had initiated the public battle by taking their case to The New York Times.

"Not to sound like a four-year-old fighting a four-year-old with 'but they started it,' but once someone says something, it becomes fact—there's no way to fight against it," Freedman argued. "You start to lose things without the ability to have the court's adjudication. This was not started by us."

Baldoni’s legal team is urging the court to move his ongoing lawsuit with Lively forward, arguing that he and his associates are facing significant financial and reputational damages as the case drags on.

During a pre-trial hearing, Baldoni’s attorneys pleaded with Judge Lewis Liman to expedite the legal process, emphasizing that their client has been “suffering greatly” since the lawsuit went public.

As the legal battle continues, Judge Liman’s ruling ensures that both sides must refrain from public commentary that could sway public opinion or the jury. However, with the trial set for March 2026, and tensions only escalating, it remains to be seen if the courtroom drama will stay within the courtroom.