Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce has been making headlines the past few days due to their dispute over the judge overseeing the case.
Brad Pitt doesn’t agree with Angelina Jolie’s filing requesting to disqualify the judge handling their divorce case. The exes’ dispute happens as the trial for their custody battle nears, which is scheduled in October.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce getting heated
Brad Pitt disapproved of his ex-wife’s request to replace the judge overseeing their divorce. The Ad Astra actor’s camp insisted that Jolie was aware of Judge John W. Ouderkirk’s work history with his lawyers.
The judge has 10 days to respond to Jolie’s filing, Just Jared reported. However, the Maleficent star’s legal team was surprised that Pitt’s camp responded ahead of Judge Ouderkirk.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Pitt’s team has sought to intervene ahead of Judge Ouderkirk’s response,” Samantha Bley DeJean, Jolie’s attorney, told Entertainment Tonight.
“One can only conclude that this is an attempt to obstruct or influence Judge Ouderkirk’s answer. Any delay in these proceedings is due to their zealous attempt to create an unrecognized special exception for their client’s benefit.”
Angelina wants to fire the judge
Brad Pitt’s ex-wife wanted to replace the judge after finding out that he had a business relationship with his lawyers. Their connection worried Angelina Jolie that something “untoward” was happening in their case. So, she filed the petition to change the judge.
“No one thought to let [Jolie] know. Instead, it was a little secret between Judge Ouderkirk and [Pitt’s] counsel,” Jolie’s filing stated.
“As is often true, the cover-up (or perceived cover-up) drives home the concern that something untoward is happening.”
Jolie’s camp stated that they only wanted a fair trial.
Pitt accused Jolie of delaying the process
However, Brad Pitt’s camp didn’t take Angelina Jolie’s request well. Instead, they want to deny her request because they believed that she only did it to delay the legal process.
“Jolie filed her request to disqualify Judge Ouderkirk and in the process delay consideration of deposition testimony and other evidence,” Pitt’s lawyers said.
“Unfortunately, the individuals hurt most by Jolie’s transparently tactical gambit are the parties’ own children, who continue to be deprived of a final resolution to these custody issues. Jolie’s motions should there be denied.”
Another source claimed that Jolie wants to delay the process over their custody battle. The odds were reportedly not in her favor, so she wanted a new judge.
A different insider also told ET of the same narrative. Jolie’s team was allegedly trying to change a referee because “they are concerned that they might be losing.”
However, another tipster refuted the claims that Jolie wanted to delay the process. The insider told ET that Jolie was only “trying to resolve an issue with the judge.”
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