Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt's custody battle is nearing its end
What's the story
The long-standing custody battle between Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is set to come to a close with the 18th birthday of their twins, Vivienne and Knox, in July. The couple has been embroiled in legal disputes since September 2016 when Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt after two years of marriage, accusing him of torment. The custody agreement gave Pitt visitation rights while Jolie had primary custody.
Custody agreement
Pitt will have 'very limited' relationship with children
Following the twins' birthday, Pitt will have a "very limited" relationship with his children, many of whom have stopped using his surname. This includes Maddox (24), who legally filed to change his name this week. A source close to the situation claimed, via PageSix, that Jolie has "alienated the children from Brad," especially those who were particularly close to him. However, another insider has denied these claims as "categorically false."
Allegations
Jolie accused Pitt of domestic abuse in 2022 lawsuit
In April 2022, Jolie filed an anonymous lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act seeking documents related to an alleged domestic abuse incident involving Pitt during a private jet flight from France to the US in September 2016. The court documents stated that Pitt had "allegedly physically and verbally assaulted" Jolie and their kids during the flight, causing them lasting physical and mental trauma.
Recovery journey
Pitt denied allegations; he has been sober for 10yrs
Pitt has consistently denied all allegations of physical abuse. Child welfare services cleared him of wrongdoing at the time, and the US Attorney's Office declined to pursue charges due to insufficient evidence. In September 2024, Jolie dropped her lawsuit. Meanwhile, Pitt has been sober for nearly 10 years with the help of a men's-only AA group. However, he has struggled to mend his relationship with his children.
Upcoming milestone
Twins's birthday to mark end of decade-long custody battle
The twins' 18th birthday on July 12 will officially end the decade-long custody battle between their parents. After this date, they will no longer be subject to the residual custody agreement that granted Pitt visitation rights while Jolie had primary custody. This change is expected to further impact Pitt's relationship with his children, who have already distanced themselves from him in various ways.
Legal battles
Ongoing legal disputes between the ex-couple
The ex-couple is still involved in several ongoing legal disputes, including a battle over their French winery, Chateau Miraval. The pair are parents to Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, and Shiloh, 20, alongside Maddox and the twins, Vivienne and Knox. All adult children are reported to have formally/informally dropped Pitt's last name in various public name credits, except for Pax. Although he did call his father "a world class a-hole" in a 2020 social media post.