The legal battle between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt over their French winery, Chateau Miraval, took a significant turn on Monday, November 25, scoring a major win for the actress.

According to a report on US magazine, a Los Angeles judge ruled that Pitt must disclose documents and communications that Jolie claims will prove his alleged domestic violence and cover-ups.

Jolie’s attorney, Paul Murphy, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, and told the portal, “We are gratified that the court ruled in Angelina’s favour. After Mr Pitt fought for years to hide this crucial evidence, he must now produce documents and communications concerning abuse, lies to authorities, and years of cover-up. His actions harmed Angelina and their children and are central to this case.”

The court’s decision comes as part of the former couple’s dispute over the sale of the Chateau, which they co-owned. Jolie has alleged that Pitt sought to ‘force’ her into signing a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) to prevent her from speaking out about alleged his abuse, in exchange for the purchase of her shares in the winery. Pitt has denied these claims, arguing that the NDA was unrelated to abuse allegations.

Jolie’s legal team has emphasised her desire to end the prolonged litigation, with Murphy adding, “Angelina never wanted any of this. She never pressed charges, left all their properties, and initially tried to sell him the business. She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits.”
The actress’ team also shared their resolve saying, “If he does not, Angelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably false.”

This latest ruling adds to the drama surrounding this long-running legal battle which began in 2016, with Jolie filing for divorce following a widely publicised incident, which led to investigations into Pitt for alleged child abuse. Pitt was cleared by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

The dispute over the property began after Jolie sold her share of the Chateau in 2021, allegedly without Pitt’s approval. The actor has since claimed that the sale violated their agreement.

However, Jolie has denied the actor’s allegations, claiming that her decision to sell her stake, was driven by Pitt’s refusal to buy her share, unless she agreed to an expanded NDA.

In the ongoing battle, Jolie’s legal team asked that the court compel Pitt to disclose “private, third-party communications” he had about their family’s 2016 plane ride that resulted in Jolie filing for divorce. Pitt’s legal team previously responded to the motion, calling the filing “wide-ranging and intrusive.”