Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been separated for four years, but details have yet to be clarified for a divorce. And that is precisely what turns out to be increasingly difficult. Now Angelina has suffered a setback in court.
As of April 2019, Angelina Jolie, 45, and Brad Pitt, 56, are considered "single" under US law. However, the verdict was called a "split" verdict, which states that two married people can be declared single while other issues, including finances and custody of the children, remain. And it is precisely these questions that the ex-partners have been trying to clarify for some time.
The actors have hired a judge for this, whom they pay privately. But Angelina Jolie no longer agrees with this because she fears his bias. At the beginning of August, the information circulated that the 45-year-old and her lawyer would want to remove Judge John W. Ouderkirk. After the judge himself commented on the bias allegations of the actress, there is now a decision in this regard.
Angelina Jolie wanted to exchange Richter
As "Page Six" reported, the 45-year-old had filed a complaint with the competent court in Los Angeles on Monday (August 10th). According to this, Judge John W. Ouderkirk should be excluded from the case for insufficient disclosure of his business relationships with one of Brad Pitt's lawyers. Jolie complains that Ouderkirk had a proven professional and financial relationship with Anne C. Kiley. He did not communicate that openly, but tried to hide it. Accordingly, the actress and her lawyer demanded that another private judge be used in their case.
Decision against Angelina Jolie
After the accused judge had spoken out himself and had confirmed that he could remain impartial despite his business relationships with a lawyer of Brad Pitt, a decision has now been made – and it is against Angelina Jolie. Judicial documents held by Us Weekly indicate that the case is still "assigned to the Honorable Judge W. Ouderkirk (retired) for all purposes." A source confirms to the newspaper that Ouderkirk continues to preside over the two actors and will continue to do so.
Will Brad Pitt fight back?
With her complaint against the presiding judge, Angelina Jolie should not have done herself a favor – especially not with regard to her relationship with her ex-husband. Brad Pitt is said to have no understanding of the behavior of his ex-wife. It is unnecessary in his opinion that she took this step and thus dragged the process even further.
Brad says Angelina went way too far this time
an anonymous source told Us Weekly. Pitt is said to have announced that he would fight back with the same means. "He has no choice but to interfere and defend himself – and tough," said the insider. How exactly this setback will look remains to be seen.
What still needs to be clarified?
It is not known exactly which questions are open between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. In 2018, Jolie officially warned that Pitt was not paying enough support for Maddox, 19, Zahara, 15, Pax, 16, Shiloh 14, and twins Vivienne and Knox, both 12. Brad Pitt's lawyers had denied this allegation; viewed it as an attempt by Jolie to manipulate media reporting.
Even after the declaration that both are now tiresome, the Jolie-Pitt file is far from closed. It is to be hoped that the ex-partners do not carry out their feud on the back of the six children.
Sources used: Page Six, ET, DailyMail
This article originally appeared on Gala.de.