This summer, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce case and custody dispute took a swift turn in Jolie’s favor. After Judge Ouderkirk granted Brad Pitt more custody in a surprising ruling, Angelina appealed the decision to the California appeals court. The basis for her appeal was that Ouderkirk exhibited clear bias towards Pitt and his lawyers. Pitt’s lawyers had given Ouderkirk tons of work in other private divorce cases, and then Ouderkirk and Pitt’s lawyers failed to disclose those associations to Jolie’s lawyers, even when they were asked directly. In July, the California appeals court overturned Ouderkirk’s ruling and kicked him off the case, in what was a clear and resounding victory for Angelina. In September, Pitt filed a petition to the California Supreme Court, basically begging them to reinstate Ouderkirk, his bro, the same guy who exhibited clear bias. Well, the CA Supreme Court just laughed Pitt out of court.
The California Supreme Court has denied Brad Pitt’s appeal regarding the actor’s ongoing custody case with Angelina Jolie. In September, attorneys for Pitt petitioned the high court to review the case after Judge John Ouderkirk was disqualified, effectively voiding a previous ruling that granted Pitt more time with the former couple’s five minor children.
On Wednesday, the high court upheld the appellate court’s disqualification decision in a ruling obtained by PEOPLE, simply stating: “Petition and stay denied.” The custody arrangement now adheres to the Nov. 2018 agreement regarding their minor children — Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 13.
A representative for Pitt tells PEOPLE that the appeals court’s previous decision “was based on a technical procedural issue and the Supreme Court’s decision not to review that procedural issue does not change the extraordinary amount of factual evidence which led the trial judge — and the many experts who testified — to reach their clear conclusion about what is in the children’s best interests. We will continue to do everything that’s legally necessary based on the detailed findings of the independent experts,” the representative tells PEOPLE.
In a statement Wednesday, Jolie’s attorney tells PEOPLE that the actress welcomed the decision.
“Ms. Jolie is focused on her family and pleased that her children’s wellbeing will not be guided by unethical behavior,” her attorney says. “As reinforced by California’s appellate courts, our judiciary prioritizes ethics and children’s best interests, and won’t tolerate judicial misconduct to reward the interests of a party. Ms. Jolie is glad for the family to now move forward cooperatively.”
Basically, Angelina’s legal team is like “your judge was suck-ass, let’s try this again with a fair judge who isn’t bought and paid for by your legal team.” And Brad’s legal team is like “But our BROOOOOOO!!” I don’t understand Pitt’s defense of “this was a mere procedural issue.” Ouderkirk lied to counsel and failed to disclose his financial connections to Pitt’s lawyers. That’s a HUGE issue. Especially when, as a consequence, Ouderkirk then denied at least three Jolie-Pitt children the opportunity to testify about their own custody.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
I know it’s a power move by Brad. He feels he has to win at all cost but why doesn’t he agree to Angelina’s requests and just try to be the best father to his children? Dragging out this divorce helps no one. Maybe if his behaviour was damaging his career he’d stop but he still has a lot of respect in Hollywood so that gives him the greenlight to continue this mess.
Because he’s a narcissist. Narcissists are extremely self involved, disregard the feelings of others, including loved ones, and do not understand how their behaviour effects others. Combined with Brad’s alcohol abuse and his ego inflated because of his celebrity, it’s all a dangerous mix.
He doesn’t care about being a father to his children. He doesn’t give a damn for the kids, period. All he cares about is being Hollywood’s number one golden boy, and paying Angie back for having the colossal gall to dump him.
This all day. Being a full time, let alone a weekend dad does not interest him in the slightest.
At this point, aren’t the kids old enough to decide for themselves if they want to see him and how much? It seems like it’s just Brad and Angelina both wanting to “win,” but whatever the ruling is, it will be pointless if the kids flat-out refuse to so much as get out of bed to go spend time with their father.
Signed,
the daughter of divorced parents who let me decide on my own wtf to do from the age of ten, so I saw my dad every Saturday until I got too old to want to hang out with *either one* of my parents — only wanting to be with my friends, like most teenagers — a situation that everyone involved was happy with, and one that made the divorce in general less stressful on all of us
I doubt he is liked in Hollywood right now. At least in the well connected circle. Based on two OK articles released by his team and two sneaky articles by Dlisted and Lainey Gossip respectively, it seems he’s trying to hold his head up. Something big’s brooding right now in Hollywood.
From a nosey gossip stand point, I really want to hear what the kids have to say. But from a more human standpoint I feel terrible that they are still going through this.
From my understanding, Angelina wanted (at least some of the older children, perhaps – Maddox and Pax?) to testify to the judge. This was not allowed for some reason. I am not a lawyer, nor familiar with family law, but this case saddens me deeply. I cannot imagine what it is like for those six children to have this dragged out, all these years, so publicly. No matter how much they may try to be shielded, this stuff is all over social media & the news. And for such a glamorous, high powered, seemingly in love couple once, what a tragic turn this all took. Just goes to show you, you never know what truly goes on behind closed doors. The thing that really struck me about all of this – after 10 plus years, six children, and being married, whatever the F happened on that plane, was enough for Angelina to run (kids in tow), and never, EVER look back. Furthermore, she has fought hard to keep those kids safe. Actions always speak louder than words!!!
I don’t think it was the plane alone. Prior to that, Angelina looked like she was in absolute dread in more than half the wedding pictures, the kids were seen less and less with Brad in the months prior, Angelina looked physically and mentally exhausted constantly, and the Father’s Day right before that incident, the kids were not with Brad to celebrate with him. He was off on his own enjoying races all smiles while the kids were spotted in a different country with Angelina and they looked rather sad. The plane incident was the shot heard round the world but it seems like things began to degrade over time that lead to that point.
I feel like the ghost of Woody Allen is hanging around – basically he convinced everyone that mama Mia (Farrow) had coached Dylan and so her testimony was tainted. It feels like Brad is taking the same tactic implying that Angelina would have coached the kids. It’s a messy interpretation of parental alienation that isn’t nearly as common as (usually) dads think it is.
I agree Lollser. I believe that Brad’s substance abuse had been ongoing and she finally realized she couldn’t manage around it. I don’t know why it sticks with me but I remember a picture of Ang and Brad at a table for an awards show and they had a giant bottle of vodka on the floor by their chairs. It was like they anticipated that the drinks wouldn’t flow quickly enough and brought extra. I have known a few addicts and that is very consistent with what I have observed
@Lolloser – I didn’t mean to imply it was just simply the plane incident. Addiction is a painful, ugly disease that eats away at the family. I know, my ex husband was a drug addict, and I left him after 10 years. Therefore, I understand Angelina very well, and her wanting to protect, herself and her children. That was just the final straw for her, and from the public’s perspective, that is IT, and she never looked back. I give her much credit. I know how fucking hard that is.
“Procedural issue” is just them trying desperately to make SOME kind of argument. It was a hail mary that counsel had to try—especially if Pitt was demanding it—since the client calls the shots and counsel is obligated to advocate aggressively for their client. I guarantee you no one on Pitt’s team thought they would succeed. There was no way this was ever going to be heard, but I guess Pitt thinks… whatever it is he thinks.
It’s procedural in that the case involved the disqualification of the private judge for failure to disclose cases on which he was working, and not the merits of the custody case.
Supreme court in a custody case? Wow never thought they dealt with these kind of cases.
California Supreme Court
Vivienne has such mischief in her face these days. I love it! And Shiloh seems to be embracing her Angelean looks for the time being.
Can’t believe how grown everyone is.
yeah, I’m looking at the kids and I’m just agog…I mean, we all know kids grow and get bigger, and yet seeing them SO TALL is just jarring.
Vivienne and Knox seem to have shot up in height overnight! Knox looks like such cool kid and I just love (please DO NOT think this is a slur against her!) how kinda teen-awkward Shiloh looks. I remember those days when you’re trying to dress more grown up but you don’t FEEL grown up. they’re all just so cute.
as for Pitt…pffft, he can go scratch.
whatWhat?
I agree. When Shiloh finally grows out of that awkward (no slur intended) phase she’s going to be absolutely STUNNING. She’s already looking more and more like Angelina’s doppelganger and she is only gonna get more gorgeous
Knox looks already like the coolest kid on the planet and everybody else is trying to keep up
I CANNOT believe they are still not divorced. I shudder to see their legal bills.
Incorrect, they are legally divorced since 2018 and even the financials are sorted.
It’s the custody issue that is ongoing.
I mean technically, I would consider the custody as settled too . Don’t they already have an agreement in place since November 2018? That is, unless Pitt challenges that 2018 arrangement through a public judge since his bro judge is no longer on the case.
@Myra: probably true but never know with Brad. He will do anything to protect his image.
According to the 2018 agreement, Angelina has full custody over the children now.
From what I read yes custody was settled back in 2018 in which he agree to. Then Pitt wanted to change the custody agreement last year. I do believe it was after AJ attorney drop the information about Pitt Lawyer and the judge having some shady business.
@COCO
It was afterwards. That’s why the appellate court said the timeline of him filling the modification create a discomfort level that just could justify disqualification itself
@ sunhine
That’s what I thought he did it out of spite and to get back at her for “ exposing” him.
@COCO
That’s exactly what I think happened. At the time she still had to go through Judge ouderkirk for their financial decisions and if there’s was bias then he needed to removed ASAP. He didn’t like that as you said and retaliated by filing for a modification.
forcing teens to see him through court mandates is surely never going to work. That completely goes against the drive for independence and respect that young people crave. He lives 5 minutes away, if they wanted to see him more they would.
also the vitriol aimed at AJ over this is awful, his PR campaign really did a number on the mother of his children.
Perhaps things were different for my family because we are mere plebes, but when I was 15 and the court ruled that I had to visit my dad after my parents’ divorce, I just refused. That was the end of that. Is someone going to come carry these kids away if they don’t want to go? By this point they are all old enough that their desires ought to be taken seriously.
Do you mind if I asked where this took place? The only experience I have is with my friend’s 4yo in nyc. The court mandated a neutral pick up/ drop of location. They had an hr grace period. If one party was late for the drop off they could get charged with kidnapping. Late for the pick up it would be child abandonment. The other parent would automatically get full custody.
Is it so much different bc you were older?
I thought they took custody away from the parent that had it, if the child refuses to visit the other one?
@ Steph
I can’t speak for FeedMeChips, but it could be because their farther never fought it.
The same happened with my younger sister, when she was around 11. This was after his 10 page letters guilt tripping her and going off on her the phone making her cry because he wanted her to fix their relationship.
My mom gave the power to her to decide if she wanted to visit him or not and she opted out. Her father never fought it he just went around telling everybody he knew that it was my mom‘s fault and what a horrible person she was.
If the father doesn’t file contempt for the child refusing, the courts won’t do anything. The courts don’t know what’s going on until one parent files a motion. There is a movement in the past few decades though that gives abusers lots of tips and tricks to maintain control, the Father’s rights movement which is basically MRAs with pawns to use (their children). In my area, the latest tactic is to try to force local law enforcement to twist the intention of the penal code to arrest mothers whose children refuse, or who refuse on their children’s behalf (usually due to safety concerns). I’m sad to say it works in some cases. The MRAs target their local law enforcement and offer “education” on fathers rights. There are outliers I’m sure, but the majority of men in this movement rightfully have limited access to their children and are collectively using their abusive tactics to extend their coercive control in ways they couldn’t do alone. It’s frightening. The other tactic is to accuse the mother of alienation, which shifts the blame for the children refusing away from the abusers actions and onto the mothers protective reaction. They essentially take the effects on the children from their abuse, turn the tables and make it all the mother’s fault because she’s “alienating” them. It’s the perfect shield and works more often than not. At the very least, it will muddy the waters so the judge thinks both parents are to blame. At most, it can completely flip custody and give the abuser total control over the family again. And there is a cottage industry of “experts” that love to charge for their testimony on this junk science. I’m willing to bet the experts hired on this case are big names in the alienation industry. All you need is a few thousand dollars and you can accuse any mother of alienation with great success.
California family law gives children 14 and up the right to choose which parent they want to live with, so I don’t see how they could force any of the kids to visit Brad except the twins, if they don’t want to, and even that would be moot next summer when they turn 14.
Brad is FOS. He doesn’t want the kids. He doesn’t want to be bothered. He just wants to punish Angie for leaving him. He’s too stupid to realize what a jerk he looks like, and too much of an asshole to care, as long as he does Angie as much damage as possible.
It’s really sad how easily the general public can be lead to believe a mom protecting her kids is just a vindictive witch. Obviously, we don’t know these peoples’ personal lives, but I would think the benefit of the doubt should go to the parent currently traveling all over the world with the kids, and not the guy who hasn’t been seen with them since 2015.
Toxic bro got his dck slapped. I think I’ll drink to that. Cheers!
😂🤣☠️
Amen, Southern Fried! I feel bad for the kids and AJ but Pitt can suck it!
HA, I’ll raise a glass to that! So sad, too bad, bye Brad! Cheers to AJ and her children!
@Southern Fried:
Bottoms up! 🍺
Brad better take his L on this. If I were him I’d count my losses and make this end quietly as soon as possible. If this gets to trail then he is totally done for and I would be glad for that to happen cos the whole world needs to see that he is not just an abuser but a narcissist as well hiding under the cover of being a golden boy
Pitt is so unethical.
As this case drags out the kids are getting older. The youngest are in their teens now and the court will give them a lot of leeway on custody I believe. Brad is playing a losing game here and I do not know why his advisors are not letting him know. What can he win? More forced time with kids who probably resent him for the stress he caused their mother? Best to capitulate and try to repair his relationship with them because Angelina is winning both in the courts and in the public eye. I say this as a guy who used to be team Brad too but reality has made me change my mind
Thank you for the honesty
and stop their cash cow? Easy money is the only reason I can think of to explain why Boutrous prepared such a non defense.
I don’t see where it says “mere procedural issue.” Just because something is technical and procedural doesn’t mean it isn’t really serious. Pitt’s people are trying to use these words in a weasel way, playing on people’s assumption that they mean “nit-picking” but it looks like they’ve accurately described the situation. Tossing out the judge was because of a conflict of interest, not because of specific evidence in the case. It’s really a feeble response.
I agree. The judges at the appellate scolded him and his lawyers for a lax response to the conduct as well, yet he’s contuining to do so. Gross
Time to give it up Brad. Unless he wants to take this public, which would likely mean public release of the evidence of his domestic violence filed by Angie and testimonies by all her children. But he’s a pretty graceless loser. 2nd worse I’ve ever seen.
Trump?
3rd worse then
Depp
BP should tell his children he loves them and let them know they are always welcome at his house. Drop the legal case. It’s doing more harm than good. Hopefully he and AJ can agree on a schedule for holidays, birthdays and some limited visitation for him.
But then he couldn’t “win!” and he couldn’t stick it to AJ.
He’s showing exactly who he is and what his priorities are with the continued motions, glomming onto the shady judge, dragging his feet and being uncooperative in trying to unravel financial ties (eg how he refused for so long to let her sell her interest in their winery… to him or anyone else).
Pathetic, desperate loser.
This.
What’s his end goal here? the constant attacks on AJ are just going to further alienate the kids from him and motivate them to protect her.
It appears he just wants to get one over on her – if it was a case of wanting to work out a healthy co-parenting situation, this could have been resolved long ago. This is what happens when Hollywood men are consistantly given what they want, when they want it…..once someone stands up to them, they have no clue how to respond in a mature way.
Good job AJ – keep up the good fight
Right Johnny Depp is another one that comes to mind .
And isn’t it just the bio kids he wants to see? That’s especially gross.
@Rapunzel: i think he wants to see all of them but his adopted children don’t want to see him.
He should drop the legal fight. I really don’t know why he keeps going. It could be malice-hurt her; or fear- children might think if he does not fight he does not love them. Maybe a bit of both. There is nothing to gain at this point. Say you love them, see them when you can and do everything to repair your relationship with them.
It’s so sad such a beautiful family ended like this.
He fought against giving them their own legal representation (which Angelina wanted). He fought against letting them testify when most wanted to. Telling your children to shut up and trying to silence them after your seriously hurt them and their mother isn’t the sign of a loving father who wants a good relationship with the kids.
Brad loves one person: Brad.
Well said LOLLOSER!
Well, they’re still a family, Angie and her kids. BP isn’t apart of it and that’s his fault. He doesn’t care about those kids and that’s now very plain to see b/c if he did he would have stopped all of this a long time ago. Also, it’s very clear that yes those kids see everything BP is doing to smear their mother and that does motivate them to protect and love her more.
As much as I’m happy for Angelina I feel nothing but sadness for Pitt. I think he is lost not that he keeps losing, he is lost at this point.
I want him and Angie to sit down together and try to talk. If he feels she can bridge whatever one / some of the kids have against him then ask her and stop trying to hurt her. He put his PR team on her to gaslight her. Thought reunions with his doormat ex and married escorts at their family home would but I guarantee it only drove a woman like Angie to fight him even harder.
He did all of this. She even said last month she wants this to end and for them to heal and get over this. I believe it
It’s not the woman’s job to compromise constantly. It’s clear Angelina has tired to hell Brad since the plane incident but he simple choose his alcohol, loser friends and his image.
I think it may be about money. If Angie has sole custody, Brad has to pay more in child support for, let’s say, the next 10 years. And he doesn’t want to. But, as others have noted, the clock is ticking. All the children are now old enough to have an opinion that should count, and I can not see B. winning much of their affectionate respect by continuing to oppose their mother, who obviously is tops in their book, year after year. Just let it go, Brad.
She not asking for sole custody, she asking to keep the part of the agreement they had when custody was settled back in 2018 which was for supervised visit.
Which seems that the kids don’t feel safe being alone with him, and would feel better if someone they trusted was around during that time.
My gawd aren’t these kids old enough to decide who they want to see at this point?
Only just barely. Before they weren’t, and he fought tooth and nail to deprive them of being heard. Angie wanted to give them their own representation and he shot it down. At this point though, yeah most have opted out but they couldn’t when it first started.
All of this so he won’t have to pay all that child support he didn’t pay for 6 yrs. Sad. I feel bad for the kids but it’s wild because Angelina also hated her father.
he’s aging like milk under the sun
I thought that I was the only one that noticed. All of that alcohol and whatever, is taking a toll. I also think that he is more upset that she left and didn’t come back and he’s trying hard as heck to find someone like her.
Nothing pushes away teens faster than denying them their chance to be heard.
Way to go, Brad. You are alienating your children in order to keep their opinion of you out of court record. Basically your reputation is more important than their feelings.
I’m so glad that Angelina has full custody.
Pitt thought he will win all the way because he is the famous untouchable Brad Pitt! He thought he will bring down & crashed Angelina but…….hey! He was ecstatic at the beginning of this farce when his Hollywood family & of course the public & the media favoured his side he became over confident that he will win all the way without a doubt, well, well, how wrong he was, no rewards for people with unethical intentions & practices. How much did he lost emotionally, & financially? his legal team are laughing all the way to the bank same with his PR machines. Jolie on the other hand appears to have move on with his children beaming from side to side! Jolie’s actions & his team spoke volumes than Pitt’s entire facade gaslighting Jolie throughout. Move on with your married girlfriend Mr Pitt! Leave Angie alone!
It was pointless going to the Supreme Court even if they did a review they probably would have come to the same conclusion. Not sure what he plans to do now.
He is gonna continue to gaslight and lie. He won’t be seen with the the kids when he has them for two reasons.
1. The monitor
2. He wants the public to think she is alienating them from him.
What I expect him to do is her with a woman and pretend he is the loving father of her kids.💯👀
He will die mad at Jolie
Your last sentence says it all. He will die mad at Angie. He will never, ever forgive her for leaving him.
I personally believe it’s about control. SHE dumped HIM, and taken back her life, and the lives of their children. She keeps getting legal victories and he has lost/is losing more every day and HOW DARE YOU I AM BRAD PITT
I saw this with my youngest daughter and her ex
I think the children have every right to testify and have their voices heard!! They are old enough to decide if they want to or not and if you’ve ever tried to influence a teen son or daughter you know it’s impossible. They will almost do the opposite. They seem to be strong independently minded so this chatter on some websites of her brainwashing her kids doesn’t jive!! I’m a fan of both and realize I know nothing about them but in my experience being a divorced parent he had to have done some damage for the courts to have given him only supervised custody for so long. And Selma Hayek can’t say enough about how much those kids adore AJ. I agree with the Woody/Mia analogy. Hollywood will side with the man and whoever is making them the most $$ and BP is a movie making machine right now. Still like him but he was way more interesting to me when he was with AJ!