Court disqualifies private judge in Jolie and Brad Pitt custody battle
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s private judge was disqualified in a California appeals court on Friday.
The Hollywood stars have been locked in a courtroom battle over the custody of their children.
Jolie, 46, and Pitt, 57, share children Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, as well as their twins Vivienne and Knox, 12.
Now a 2nd District Court of Appeal has sided with Jolie and said Judge John W. Ouderkirk didn't sufficiently disclose business relationships with Pitt's attorneys.
"Judge Ouderkirk's ethical breach, considered together with the information disclosed concerning his recent professional relationships with Pitt's counsel, might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge's ability to be impartial. Disqualification is required," the court ruled.
The custody fight could be far from over.
They hired their own judge to increase privacy around the divorce case.
Ouderkirk declined to disqualify himself when Jolie asked him to in a filing in August.
A lower court judge ruled Jolie's request for disqualification came too late. Jolie's attorneys then appealed.
Jolie and Pitt were a golden Hollywood couple, having romanced for 12 years and two of which they were married.
They announced their divorce in 2016.
Jolie, 46, and Pitt, 57, share children Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, as well as their twins Vivienne and Knox, 12.
Now a 2nd District Court of Appeal has sided with Jolie and said Judge John W. Ouderkirk didn't sufficiently disclose business relationships with Pitt's attorneys.
"Judge Ouderkirk's ethical breach, considered together with the information disclosed concerning his recent professional relationships with Pitt's counsel, might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge's ability to be impartial. Disqualification is required," the court ruled.
The custody fight could be far from over.
They hired their own judge to increase privacy around the divorce case.
Ouderkirk declined to disqualify himself when Jolie asked him to in a filing in August.
A lower court judge ruled Jolie's request for disqualification came too late. Jolie's attorneys then appealed.
Jolie and Pitt were a golden Hollywood couple, having romanced for 12 years and two of which they were married.
They announced their divorce in 2016.
