Why Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt divorce took 8 long years
What's the story
After eight tumultuous years, Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have finally settled their divorce. The legal battle went way past the usual time for such cases.
According to PEOPLE, California family lawyer Scott Weston, who isn't part of the case, blamed this on a few reasons.
One of them was the couple's initial disagreement on several issues which resulted in a lengthy legal showdown in what he called "probably the most congested superior court in the country."
Legal complications
Child custody and abuse allegations slowed down proceedings
Notably, Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking physical custody of their six children.
Subsequently, Pitt was investigated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) over allegations of verbal and physical abuse toward his children.
While both DCFS and the FBI concluded their investigations without pressing charges against Pitt, family law attorney John Lambros noted such involvement "can seriously slow the progression of a case."
Ongoing disputes
Continued disagreements and attempts at privacy
Despite the investigations ending without charges, Jolie and Pitt remained at odds over custody and other issues concerning their kids.
This discord was apparent from court documents filed by both parties.
To keep things private, they signed agreements in 2017 to keep all court documents confidential and hired a private judge, John Ouderkirk, for legal decisions.
But this amicable phase didn't last long.
Divorce bifurcation
Legal separation before custody settlement and ethical breach
In 2019, Jolie and Pitt were declared legally single while custody issues remained unresolved.
Lambros suggested this bifurcation might have reduced their urgency to settle matters quickly.
The case faced another setback in 2021 when Judge Ouderkirk was removed due to an undisclosed business relationship with Pitt's attorneys, which the court deemed an "ethical breach."
Despite these challenges, both parties finally signed the divorce settlement on December 30.
Property dispute
Ongoing legal dispute over French winery
While the divorce has been finalized, Jolie and Pitt are still mired in a legal battle over Chateau Miraval, their jointly owned French vineyard.
In 2022, Pitt sued Jolie for breach of contract, claiming that she sold her share of the business to a Russian oligarch without his knowledge or consent.
Despite the ongoing issue, both parties have reportedly shown willingness to resolve the matter amicably.