Angelina Jolie is reportedly pushing back against the decision to grant Brad Pitt joint custody of their six children.
According toUs Weekly, court records indicate that the onetime celebrity power couple have a hearing set for 9 July where the Maleficent actor’s appeal will be heard by a three-justice panel. Attorneys for both Jolie and Pitt will also be given time to present their arguments.
In May, a judge ruled in favour of Pitt to share joint custody despite Jolie’s previous claims of alleged domestic violence. At the time, Jolie accused the court of refusing to hear “evidence relevant to the children’s health, safety, and welfare”.
Us Weekly also reports that in her appeal, Jolie is aiming to “demonstrate clear, reversible, prejudicial legal error” on the part of Judge John Ouderkirk, a private judge hired by the former couple, who she previously attempted to have removed from the case.
“Judge Ouderkirk denied Ms Jolie a fair trial, improperly excluding her evidence relevant to the children’s health, safety, and welfare, evidence critical to making her case,” read the filing in California’s Second District Court of Appeal.
The statement also alleged that the judge “has failed to adequately consider” a section of the California courts code, which states that it is detrimental to a child’s best interest if custody is awarded to a person with a history of domestic violence.
Her filing did not give details on what domestic violence it was referring to.
The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star, however, was reportedly “delighted” at the judge’s decision. “He wishes Angie no harm. His door is open if she wants to be civil,” the source added.
Jolie and Pitt were married for two years before separating in September 2016, citing “irreconcilable differences”. Though their divorce was finalised in 2019, they continue to be locked in a brutal custody battle for their children, Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12.
The Independent has reached out to both Mr Pitt and Ms Jolie’s representatives for further comment.
