Blake Lively has asked a court for a so‑called “mini trial” to determine additional damages and to seek recovery of legal fees in her $160 million lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, and on Wednesday she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, were photographed in New York City enjoying frozen yogurt — their first public outing since she escalated the case.
Lively, 38, filed the suit earlier this year asserting claims including sexual harassment and defamation tied to the release of It Ends With Us; a judge dismissed most of her claims in April 2026 but Lively has pressed forward, demanding an evidentiary “mini trial” to set damages for reputational harm and legal costs and to pursue triple and punitive damages.
The couple’s afternoon out was documented on social media: Reynolds, 49, posted photos of the desserts to his Instagram Stories and Lively reposted them, calling the limited pineapple flavor “bonkers” and writing that “It needs to be a staple.” They were seen together in Manhattan a day after Lively did not appear at a federal courtroom hearing on related damages issues.
The procedural fight has roots going back to January 2025, when Baldoni filed his own lawsuit seeking $400 million; that original complaint was tossed last June. Lively’s counter‑action this year seeks $160 million in damages. Baldoni’s legal team described her request for a focused proceeding as an “alternative trial.” Reports suggest both sides have already incurred roughly $60 million in legal fees handling the overlapping claims.
Context matters: the mini‑trial request is Lively’s bid to create a narrow forum for the court to assess what, if any, additional monetary relief she should receive now that most of her claims were dismissed in April. If the judge agrees, a limited hearing would address reputational harm and the question of whether Baldoni must pay Lively’s costs; if the judge denies it, those issues could remain unresolved or be folded into broader appellate or follow‑on proceedings.
The public outing underscores a tension that has followed the couple through the litigation: they have continued to appear at high‑profile events and to post about each other on Instagram even as expensive court fights proceed. Lively has been seen at the Met Gala and fashion events in New York during the dispute; Reynolds’ social media posts highlighted the frozen yogurt visit while the legal calendar ticked on.
What happens next is the immediate legal question. Lively wants the judge to allow a narrow trial focused solely on damages and fees; Baldoni’s side calls that “alternative trial.” As of Wednesday, neither side had a publicly announced new court date to resolve the request. The central unresolved issue now is when the judge will rule on whether to grant the mini‑trial and, if granted, when that proceeding will be scheduled — a decision that will determine whether Lively can press for recovery of legal costs and pursue the extra damages she seeks.
