JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Angelina Jolie attains minor victory as Judge John Ouderkirk is removed from her and Brad Pitt's divorce case
Angelina Jolie "is grateful to seek a fair decision regarding custody for the children" amid her petition to remove Judge John Ouderkirk from her and Brad Pitt's divorce case being granted.
It looks like the ball is currently in Angelina Jolie's court, who enjoyed a minor victory in her ongoing divorce case with Brad Pitt. According to US Weekly, Angelina's petition to remove Judge John Ouderkirk from Brangelina's divorce case has been granted. A source shared with the publication that The California Court of Appeal ruled that Judge Ouderkirk is out.
"The case has been sent back to the Los Angeles Superior Court. Judge Ouderkirk is no longer involved and Angelina is grateful to seek a fair decision regarding custody for the children," the insider added about the 46-year-old actress' reaction. As per court documents which were filed on July 23, the court has now mandated that the superior court must "make a new order disqualifying Judge Ouderkirk" by vacating its November 2020 order which denied "Jolie's statement of disqualification." In a temporary ruling in May, Brad was granted joint custody of their children - Maddox, 19 (excluded as he is an adult), Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12.
Given that Judge Ouderkirk is now out, the current custody agreement is likely to be tossed away as well with proceedings possibly commencing all over again. In a statement by Pitt's spokesperson to US Weekly, it's revealed how the Bullet Train star isn't phased by Judge Ouderkirk's removal. "The appeals court ruling was based on a technical procedural issue. The facts haven't changed," the statement reads before adding, "There is an extraordinary amount of factual evidence which led the judge — and the many experts who testified — to reach their clear conclusion about what is in the children's best interests. We will continue to do what's necessary legally based on the detailed findings of what's best for the children."
It was back in August 2020, when Jolie first asked for Judge Ouderkirk to be removed from her divorce case alleging that he failed to disclose "ongoing business and professional relationships" with Brad's legal team. While the 57-year-old actor recounted how the ex-couple has a "well-documented history" with Judge Ouderkirk, given how he officiated Brangelina's wedding in 2014, Judge Ouderkirk responded to the allegations noting how Angelina has "clearly failed" to prove any form of bias in the divorce case.
Earlier this year, the Eternals star proceeded to file additional documents further alleging how Judge Ouderkirk had refused to her hear evidence, which included testimonies from three of Brangelina's kids, which she believed was pertinent to 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," was claimed in documents obtained by the publication.
