By Angelina Jolie has been dealt another legal setback in her ongoing dispute with Brad Pitt over their Chateau Miraval estate. A judge in LA Superior Court has ordered the actress to produce every non-disclosure agreement (NDA) she signed with third parties from 2014 to 2022, according to documents obtained by DailyMail.com.
The ruling is part of the high-profile legal battle between Jolie and Pitt over her right to sell her stake in their $62 million French vineyard and home. Jolie sold her share to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler in 2021, a move Pitt argues violated their agreement to offer the other first refusal.
NDAs have become a focal point in the dispute, with Jolie claiming she withdrew from their agreement because Pitt demanded she sign one as part of their business deal. She described this demand as an attempt by her ex-partner to control her following their split in April 2019. Pitt’s legal team has countered that Jolie’s objection to the NDA was a pretext to justify her decision to sell her stake without his knowledge.
Pitt’s attorneys also claim that Jolie herself has used NDAs strategically and asked Pitt to sign one six months later during their divorce settlement talks. They previously requested that Jolie disclose all NDAs she entered into with third parties, including staff.
Judge Lia Martin dismissed Jolie’s objections that her NDAs were irrelevant, siding with Pitt’s legal team. The judge ordered Jolie to produce all NDAs she proposed or received, whether finalized or not. The ruling also requires Jolie to produce NDAs entered into by companies she controls and documents reflecting the reasons for these agreements within 60 days.
Paul Murphy, one of Jolie’s attorneys, told DailyMail.com that the judge’s order allows the actress to request documents related to Pitt’s alleged abuses. “Common NDAs are simply not comparable to Mr. Pitt’s last-second demand to try and cover up his personal misconduct,” Murphy said. He added that the ruling opens the door to discovering all issues related to Pitt’s alleged abuse.
A source close to Brad Pitt suggested that Jolie’s strategy has backfired, calling her defense “a house of cards.” The source noted that Jolie would now have to provide details of all the NDAs she demanded of third parties, describing the ruling as a significant setback for her defense.
The legal battle over Chateau Miraval has seen numerous accusations from both sides. Jolie was recently accused of trying to alienate Pitt from their six children, according to court filings. Former bodyguard Tony Webb claimed that Jolie encouraged her children to avoid Pitt during custody visits and threatened to sue security personnel who sided with Pitt.
The judge’s ruling is the latest development in a case that has seen Pitt win several legal victories, including a key judgment in Luxembourg that restored his control over the vineyard pending further hearings. In March, LA Superior Court dismissed Jolie’s allegations that Pitt’s suit was frivolous and malicious.
A source close to Jolie argued that Pitt’s pursuit of the NDAs is a form of retribution. “Pitt and his team know that these NDAs are never going to see the light of day at trial,” the source told DailyMail.com. “They also know that this will force Angie to spend resources tracking all of this information down, which is just another way to drain her resources and punish her for leaving.”
Source: DailyMail.com
