A Timeline of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Legal Battle
The former It couple is now in the middle of a longstanding legal battle five years after their divorce.
Remember when Brad Pitt made headlines for allegedly cheating on his then-wife Jennifer Aniston? And with his Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie, no less? It feels like it was just yesterday when the world was divided between #TeamJolie and #TeamAniston. Ah, the days when that was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's biggest concern.
Although the former It couple eventually won the hearts of many, their fairytale came to an end after eleven years together, including two years of marriage. Unfortunately, since their separation in 2016, the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been embroiled in a messy legal battle. It started with a custody battle over their six children, but it has escalated into a contentious fight over Château Miraval, the vineyard the couple shared in France.
If you've had trouble keeping up with all the details of their divorce, L'OFFICIEL has simplified the timeline below.
September 2016: Jolie files for divorce
Though it seemed that the iconic couple were living happily ever after, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in 2016, citing "irreconcilable differences." According to The New York Times, Jolie claimed that her then-husband had been abusive to her and their children, and that he abused substances such as alcohol and marijuana. Not long after, the Division of Children and Family Services looked into Pitt's history of abuse, People reported.
December 2016: Temporary arrangement
Three months after filing for divorce, Jolie reached a temporary legal arrangement in which she had primary physical custody of her and Pitt's six children. Pitt, on the other hand, could only see his children through weekly doctor-approved counseling sessions with Jolie present.
June 2018: New temporary arrangement
Almost two years after their separation, Pitt was legally granted unrestricted phone calls and texts with his kids. Previously, the actor could only speak and see his children with Jolie's supervision.
May 2021: Pitt wins joint custody... then loses
Though his efforts had been previously futile, Judge John Ouderkirk granted Pitt joint custody of his and Jolie's children in May 2021. Not three months later, Jolie's efforts to appeal the ruling succeeded due to an apparent conflict of interest between Judge Ouderkirk and Pitt.
February 2022: Pitt files suit over Château Miraval
In February 2022, Pitt sued Jolie for selling Château Miraval, which he has part ownership, to a Russian oligarch named Yuri Shefler. He sought monetary damages and legal fees and demanded that the sale be voided. Then, months later, Pitt alleged that Jolie intentionally attempted to "inflict harm" by selling her stake in their winery. As if their custody battles had not caused enough tension, this suit further intensified their divorce.
February 2024: Pitt wins legal battle and the two settle finances
After a five-year-long tumultuous battle, it seems that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are finally nearing the end of their divorce after a judge granted Pitt his request to own 60% of Château Miraval.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, the two are in the process of submitting their last financial disclosures to reach a settlement. While the two have been officially divorced since 2019, these last steps are necessary to finalize their proceedings and resolve any remaining financial matters.
Goodbye forever, Brangelina.
