Brad Pitt Wins Joint Custody Of Children In Rollercoaster Divorce Battle With Angelina Jolie

In August of 2014, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt said ‘I do’. Their love story, which began on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2004, was celebrated at a gorgeous ceremony at their Chateau Miraval in France. Their six children were, naturally, in attendance, with Maddox and Pax walking Angelina down the aisle, Zahara and Vivienne fulfilling the roles of flower girls, and Shiloh and Knox acting as ringbearers. Two years later, though, the fairytale ended: August 2016 saw the shock announcement of the couple’s separation.

‘This decision was made for the health of the family’, said lawyer Robert Offer. ‘She will not be commenting, and asks that the family be given its privacy at this time.’ And yet, more than four years on, the saga is very much still going, and while April 2019 saw the couple been granted the status of legally separate (which, among other things, enables them to pursue other relationships) their disputes continue.

Last August, it became clear that the rollercoaster split is nowhere near complete. Angelina filed papers in the Los Angeles Superior Court, asking that Judge Ouderkirk – who is overseeing the process – be replaced. Angelina claimed that the judge’s previous work and ongoing professional and financial relationship with Anne C. Kiley, Brad’s lawyer, meant that ‘something untoward was happening.’

Brad soon responded. His legal team filed a rebuttal which called Angelina’s complaint ‘a thinly veiled attempt by Jolie to delay the adjudication of long-pending custody issues in this case.’ The documents added that the children are ‘the individuals hurt most by Jolie’s transparently tactical gambit,’ and are ‘deprived over a resolution to these custody issues. Therefore Jolie’s motion should be denied.’

Angelina’s opposition to the judge was deemed particularly curious by Brad’s team as they claimed that she personally chose Judge Ouderkirk to ‘preside over their nuptials in 2014 and serving as a neutral in several matters involving attorneys on both sides of this case.'

There was, finally, a suggestion that a light could be seen at the end of the tunnel, when a verdict was scheduled for Christmas time, but this never materialised. Then, in March, Angelina's representatives stated that the actress was 'prepared to provide proof' of domestic abuse. Brad was said to be 'heartbroken' by that latest development, as well as the fact that Maddox, the pair's eldest son, opted to provide his testimony under the surname Jolie.

This week, Angelina moved to disqualify Judge John Ouderkirk once again. Court documents claimed that he 'has failed to adequately consider ... input as to their experiences, needs, or wishes', relating to the children and their right to testify. But the latest development found in Brad's favour: in the last day, he has been granted joint custody of their children.

Evidently this case will run and run. The Hollywood romance has displayed more twists and turns than any thriller. Will a resolution ever be found? Watch this space.

READ MORE: Angelina Jolie Speaks Out On 'Difficult' Split From Brad Pitt For The First Time