In a major turn in the ongoing legal battle over their shared winery, Angelina Jolie has secured a key courtroom victory against Brad Pitt after a Los Angeles judge rejected his request to access private emails linked to the sale of her stake in Château Miraval, the French winery they once co-owned.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that Pitt “has not met his burden” to override Jolie’s claim that the communications are protected. According to court documents cited by Page Six, the motion was “denied without prejudice,” allowing Pitt the option to refile the request at a later stage if new arguments emerge.
Jolie’s attorney, Paul Murphy, called the ruling a decisive moment in the case. “This is an important victory for Ms. Jolie. The decision shows that Mr. Pitt was completely out of bounds when he sought access to obviously privileged documents,” he said in a statement, as quoted by Page Six.
Murphy added, “Remember, he initially demanded 126 privileged documents, but then backtracked to 22, and now Mr. Pitt is getting nothing, zero. This is part of Mr. Pitt’s pattern of demanding control over anything Angelina, including control over her communications with her own attorneys. We are extremely gratified that both the Court of Appeal and the trial court ultimately put a stop to it,” as quoted by Page Six.
A source told Page Six, “It’s notable how Jolie has withheld so many documents as privileged. These emails are just some of the evidence in the case.”
The ruling marks the latest development in the long-running dispute over Château Miraval, which has remained a major legal flashpoint since the couple’s separation. Pitt has argued that Jolie’s 2021 sale of her stake to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of Stoli Group, violated a prior agreement requiring mutual consent. Jolie has denied any such agreement and countersued, accusing Pitt of “waging a vindictive war against” her.
Court filings show Pitt had sought emails involving Jolie’s business manager, publicists, and financial advisers, arguing they were not protected by attorney-client privilege. Jolie, however, maintained the communications were part of legal strategy.
The couple finalised their divorce in December 2024 after more than eight years of proceedings. They share six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
