Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt settle divorce after 8-year legal battle

Photo: Instagram/@_my.brangeleina_

After more than eight years of legal battles, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have finally settled their highly publicised divorce.
According to People magazine, Jolie's lawyers confirmed on Monday, December 30, 2024, that both sides had agreed to terms, bringing an end to the long and difficult legal process that began when Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016.

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Jolie and Pitt were married for two years and together for 12 before their relationship ended. Jolie filed for divorce on September 19, 2016, saying they had "irreconcilable differences." This came after an incident during a private plane flight, which Jolie claimed turned into an abusive argument between Pitt and their six children. Although authorities investigated, Pitt was not charged, and Jolie later decided not to press any charges.

Jolie's lawyer, James Simon, spoke to People magazine, reflecting on the long journey. He said, "More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time, she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted but relieved that this part is over."

A source close to Jolie told People that she has been focused on moving forward. The source added, "She doesn’t speak ill of Pitt publicly or privately. She's been trying hard to stay positive after a tough time."
The settlement finally ended a complex and bitter divorce, which included many disagreements over custody of their six children and their shared assets.
After Jolie filed for divorce, the couple tried to keep their proceedings private by using a private judge to settle the legal details. They also worked to keep their children’s records confidential to protect their privacy.

But despite their efforts to keep things private, the divorce process was far from easy. The custody battles over their six children—Maddox (23), Pax (21), Zahara (19), Shiloh (18), and twins Vivienne and Knox (16)—were especially heated. There were harsh accusations filed in Los Angeles Superior Court about who should care for the children. In 2017, Jolie and Pitt decided to seal court records about their children, and in 2019, they declared themselves single in their divorce.

In the years following the divorce filing, both sides continued to face challenges. Pitt began dating jewellery executive Ines de Ramon in 2022.
While the divorce settlement has brought an end to part of the legal battle, disagreements over their shared assets, including their French estate and winery, Chateau Miraval, are still ongoing. In 2022, Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie after she sold her share in the estate to a third party. Jolie responded with a countersuit, accusing Pitt of trying to take full control of the winery after their split.

Jolie’s business entity, Nouvel, argued that Pitt had secretly worked to control the property, which was once a symbol of their shared life and investments. A source close to Pitt denied these accusations, calling them part of a strategy to "misdirect" the truth. Pitt’s team also claimed there was a written agreement between the couple about selling their shares in the estate, which was confirmed by a recent court decision.

In a legal win for Jolie, a judge ruled in November 2024 that Pitt must release documents, including emails and texts, that might back up Jolie’s claims of abuse, which she says were covered up for years. Despite the ongoing legal issues over Chateau Miraval, the divorce itself is now officially over.