Brad Pitt's Custody Dispute With Angelina Jolie Takes Another Dramatic Turn

Just when you thought that the Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt custody battle couldn't get any more convoluted, a recent development has complicated the case even further. On October 27, The Hollywood Reporter noted that the California Supreme Court rejected Pitt's appeal of a court ruling that removed the judge overseeing the entire custody proceedings. In July, Jolie won her bid to disqualify Judge John W. Ouderkirk after claiming that he failed to disclose his "ongoing business and professional relationships" with Pitt's legal team, according to Us Weekly. Pitt appealed this decision and had asked for it to be reviewed by California's highest court.

Now, Judge Oudenkirk is officially out. Per USA Today, the court didn't offer an explanation, except that the "petition for review & application for stay denied." Jolie was in London with their children at "The Eternals" premiere when the decision was made public. But according to Robert Olson, Jolie's appellate lawyer, she's happy with the outcome. "Ms. Jolie is focused on her family and pleased that her children's wellbeing will not be guided by unethical behavior," he said in a statement. "As reinforced by California's appellate courts, our judiciary prioritizes ethics and children's best interests, and won't tolerate judicial misconduct to reward the interests of a party. Ms. Jolie is glad for the family to now move forward cooperatively."

However, moving forward only means that they will have to start fresh.

The California Supreme Court's rejection of Brad Pitt's appeal means that his custody battle with Angelina Jolie is far from over. If the disqualification of Judge Ouderkirk hadn't happened, they were already nearing the finish line. But with this latest development, it's highly likely that they will have no choice but go back to square one.

In a statement made to USA Today, Pitt's spokesperson said that the ruling does not matter in the grand scheme of things. It will not in any way change "the extraordinary amount of factual evidence which led the trial judge — and the many experts who testified — to reach their clear conclusion about what is in the children's best interests." His statement continued, "We will continue to do everything that's legally necessary based on the detailed findings of the independent experts."

Jolie and Pitt have been embroiled in this custody battle for over five years now, costing them a fortune. Divorce attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, although not affiliated with the former couple but has represented various celebrities in these matters, told Us Weekly that they have likely coughed up "hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not in the millions" in the dispute. "And it could be more if they start over again," he added. "Nothing is more expensive than a hotly contested custody [dispute]."