In the latest development of the ongoing legal dispute between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ordered Jolie to hand over all non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) she signed between 2014 and 2022. This court ruling came about as a result of Pitt’s legal team’s motion, demanding transparency of these documents amid their contentious battle over the co-owned Chateau Miraval winery.
Documents obtained by Us Weekly reveal that on Thursday, May 16, Judge Lia Martin granted Pitt’s motion, which compels Jolie to produce every NDA agreement she entered into with third parties over the specified period. The actress has been given a 60-day deadline to comply with the court’s order.
“Put simply, the Requests are reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of documents that will test whether Jolie was truly so offended by the proposed NDA and her claim that she was entitled to breach her contract with Pitt and sell to the Stoli Parties, or whether that defense is pretextual in nature,” the Judge states in a ruling.
An insider close to the situation described the court’s decision as a “hard legal blow for Jolie,” indicating potential challenges ahead for the actress in her legal proceedings against Pitt. The winery dispute, in particular, has turned on issues related to NDAs, especially after an incident where Jolie reportedly informed Pitt that she would not be selling her share of the business. This came in response to Pitt’s request for her to sign a mutual non-disparagement agreement.
Responding to the court’s latest order, Jolie argued that the NDAs demanded by the court are irrelevant to their ongoing legal battle. However, Judge Martin disagreed, implying that these documents could shed light on pertinent issues related to the winery dispute.
This legal tussle over Chateau Miraval has become a focal point of the broader and highly publicized divorce and separation saga between Jolie and Pitt, highlighting the complexities and entanglements that can emerge when business assets are intertwined with personal relationships.