Los Angeles, California - The lawsuit against pop star Lizzo had its first major court hearing Wednesday. Lawyers wrangled over allegations that the artist created a hostile and toxic work environment and what falls under protected free speech.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Epstein refused to issue an immediate ruling on Lizzo’s motion to throw out her former dancers' shocking lawsuit, as multiple media outlets reported.

In their lawsuit, plaintiffs and former Big Grrrl dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, claim they were pressured to attend a nude club in Amsterdam while on tour last February. Arianna Davis accused Lizzo of coercing her into touching a performer’s breast and urging the other dancers to interact with performers. A month later, Lizzo allegedly invited the dancers to Crazy Horse, a nude cabaret in Paris.

During the almost two-hour hearing, both sides sparred over the anti-SLAPP statute – a California statute often used as a legal maneuver to quickly dismiss civil suits.

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Lizzo's legal team is arguing that the dancers' complaints are meritless and designed to limit the artist's right to free speech and public participation.

Lizzo's lawyer, Melissa Lerner, argued that most of what happened behind the scenes on Lizzo's tour, including the late-night events, were part of Lizzo's creative process.

Per Lerner, these events fall under the protection offered by the anti-SLAPP statute.

Ronald Zambrano, the lawyer representing the three former backup dancers, contended that team bonding and building is not a justifiable reason for an anti-SLAPP motion.

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Judge Epstein spent a considerable part of the hearing discussing the dancers' allegation that Lizzo pressured them to attend after-hours gatherings at venues with nude performers.

Judge Epstein pushed back against Lizzo's lawyer's argument that these outings were part of Lizzo's creative process, asking, "Is there any limit to this? So, basically, anything that happens while they’re on tour that takes place with more than one person could be viewed as team-building?"

Lizzo’s lawyer said there may be limits, but argued that everything in the dancer's complaint should be covered by Lizzo's right to free expression.

"How is Lizzo forcing Arianna Davis to touch a person’s breast in furtherance of (Lizzo) making a show?" Zambrano said hitting back.

"There has to be a line," he continued. "There has to be a functional connection between the act and the furtherance of free speech.”

Judge Epstein declined to issue an immediate ruling and gave both sides five additional court days to submit more case law for his review.