Blake Lively's legal team has intensified their efforts in her harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and other parties involved in the film "It Ends With Us," filing a motion for sanctions against Baldoni's attorneys. The motion, filed on a recent Friday, accuses the opposing counsel of various disruptive behaviors during depositions, including laughing, speechifying, and other acts of misconduct that allegedly impeded the legal process.

A central point of contention raised by Lively's lawyers concerns the line of questioning directed at her during depositions. They have vehemently objected to inquiries into Lively’s romantic and sexual history, deeming such questions irrelevant to the merits of her harassment and retaliation claims. In a letter to Baldoni’s lawyers, including Bryan Freedman, in September, Lively’s legal representatives explicitly stated, “Ms. Lively’s sexual and/or romantic history has no bearing on the matters at issue in this case and we will not tolerate such examination.” To underscore their position, Lively’s side invoked the “rape shield law,” a legal provision designed to protect victims of sexual assault from intrusive questions about their past sexual conduct.

The latest incident prompting the motion for sanctions reportedly occurred on a Monday, when, according to Lively's legal team, attorneys Freedman and Kevin Fritz actively obstructed and prolonged the deposition of Nicole Alexander, an expert witness testifying for the defense. This specific event was cited as the "last straw" in what Lively's side describes as an "ongoing pattern of deposition misconduct." These alleged patterns include tactics such as consuming valuable time by making excessively lengthy objections during proceedings.

This is not the first time Lively’s lawyers have sought sanctions in what has become a highly contentious legal battle. Previous motions for sanctions have accused Freedman of attempting to litigate the case through media channels, and Baldoni’s legal team of improperly withholding crucial evidence during the discovery phase of the lawsuit.

The case is moving forward with several key dates on the horizon. A court-mandated settlement conference has been scheduled for February 11, offering an opportunity for the parties to resolve the dispute outside of court. The trial, originally slated to commence in March, has since been postponed to May 18. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s legal team has submitted a motion for summary judgment, contending that Lively's allegations amount to nothing more than a "litany of minor grievances" and should result in the dismissal of the case. Lively’s side has countered this, arguing that her director and co-star is attempting to evade responsibility for allegedly fostering a hostile work environment on the set. Judge Lewis Liman is set to preside over arguments for both the summary judgment motion and one of the motions for sanctions on January 22, indicating a critical juncture in the ongoing legal proceedings.