Brad Pitt Wants California’s Supreme Court To Look At The Ruling That Disqualified The Judge From His Custody Fight With Angelina Jolie
Back in July, Angelina Jolie’s wish was granted when Judge John Ouderkirk, the judge in her custody fight against Brad Pitt, was disqualified from the case by an appellate court. Before that decision, Judge Ouderkirk gave temporary 50/50 custody of the child army to Brad Pitt, which is what Brad wanted. But when Judge Ouderkirk was Ourderkirk’d to the curb (just pretend that worked) by three appellate judges, the 50/50 custody decision was declared null and void. Brad is not going down like that, though, and filed a petition to ask California’s highest court to consider reversing that ruling so that Judge Ouderkirk can bust a “surprise, bitch, I bet you thought you saw the last of me” on Team St. Angie.
Angelina’s side wanted Judge Ouderkirk removed from the case because they believed that underneath his robe was a Team Brad t-shirt. Judge Ouderkirk had some history with both Angelina and Brad and actually officiated their wedding. When he was brought on to judge their custody case in 2016, both sides submitted their business dealings with him, and he was extended twice. But St. Angie’s team began the fight to push Judge Ouderkirk out after learning that Brad’s lawyers hired him to oversee several cases for them and he never disclosed this to Angelina’s lawyers. So they screamed: BIASED! Angelina also didn’t like that Judge Ouderkirk refused to let three of their kids testify about Brad’s alleged abusive ways.
The 2nd District Court of Appeal agreed with Angelina’s side and ruled that because Judge Ouderkirk didn’t let Angie’s lawyers know that he was overseeing other cases from Brad’s lawyers, it raised questions on whether he could be impartial in their custody case. But People says that in Brad’s petition to California’s Supreme Court, which was filed yesterday, his lawyers argue that Angelina’s lawyers have known about their professional relationship with Judge Ouderkik since the beginning and waited years to get pissed about it. So Brad’s lawyers are basically saying, “Too little, too late!” They also say that dragging out this custody fight is doing nothing but harming their kids.
“After more than four years of contentious litigation, every day of which has harmed the children and their father, an important and considered custody decision will be entirely undone as a result of an administrative error that is wholly unrelated to the merits of the custody dispute itself.
California law requires that a party seeking disqualification of a judge file a written statement objecting to continued proceedings before the judge ‘at the earliest practicable opportunity after discovery of the facts constituting the ground for disqualification,.’ Failure to do so constitutes waiver or forfeiture of the party’s right to seek disqualification.”
In a statement, Brad’s lawyers added that they want the state’s highest court to review this decision because they think Judge Ouderkirk was improperly disqualified after both sides renewed him and after he made the “fact-based” decision to give Brad temporary 50/50 custody “following a lengthy legal process with multiple witnesses and experts.”
Angelina’s lawyer, Robert A. Olson, also had something to say. He believes that this move is a shady one:
“The Court of Appeal unanimously refused to tolerate the ethical violations of the private judge who had heard custody matters, and correctly vacated that judge’s orders. Mr. Pitt’s counsel’s petition to the California Supreme Court displays how they are clinging to this private judge who exhibited bias and refused statutorily required evidence. It is disturbing that in full knowledge of unethical behavior, and having previously failed to disclose their new and ongoing financial relationships with him, Mr. Pitt’s counsel would seek to reinstate the private judge. Ms. Jolie hopes Mr. Pitt will instead join with her in focusing on the children’s needs, voices, and healing.”
Brangie’s custody fight does not include Maddox Jolie-Pitt since he is 20 years old (and yes, I broke my hip just from typing that Maddox is now 20 years old). They are fighting over custody of their 13-year-old twins, Knox and Vivienne, 16-year-old Zahara, 15-year-old Shiloh, and Pax who turns 18 in November. At this rate, Brangelina’s probably going to press pause on their custody fight to adopt another baby together so they can fight over that child for the next 18 years.
And if California’s Supreme Court agrees to take this up, then expect a courtroom appearance by Falcor the Luckdragon since this is the real Neverending Fucking Story.
Pics: Wenn.com