Angelina Jolie ‘gratified’ after scoring win in Brad Pitt winery lawsuit

Angelina Jolie appears at the 77th Tony Awards in New York on June 16, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

In a latest decision in the legal battle between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt over their French winery, a judge ruled that the actor must disclose documents that — according to the actress’ camp — will prove “communications concerning abuse.”

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lia Martin issued the ruling on Monday, Nov. 25, amid a request from Jolie’s legal team for Pitt to disclose communications he had about their family plane ride in 2016 that led to her filing for divorce.

Jolie’s camp claimed that these documents would prove that Pitt tried to force the actress to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that aimed to bind the actress from speaking up about his alleged abuse so she could sell her half of their wine business, Château Miraval, to the actor.

“We are gratified that the court ruled in Angelina’s favor,” Paul Murphy, Jolie’s legal counsel, said in a statement obtained by People on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

“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,” Murphy added. “His actions harmed Angelina and their children and are central to this case.”

Murphy then stressed that Jolie “never wanted any of this,” and that she was even the one who “tried to sell him the business in the first place.”

“To this day, Mr. Pitt has never been held accountable for his actions and has at all times controlled Miraval and the winery, yet he still demands more,” the lawyer added.  “She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits.”

“If he does not, Angelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably false,” he concluded.

Pitt sued Jolie in 2022 for selling her 50% stake in the winery to a Russian businessman, with the actor saying that such move was made by the actress to “inflict harm” on him.

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in 2016. The pair were declared legally single in 2019. They have six children including Shiloh who has officially dropped Pitt as her surname.