The latest development in the long-running legal dispute between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt marks a significant courtroom victory for Jolie in their ongoing conflict over the Château Miraval winery in France.
According to court documents referenced in the report, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that Pitt cannot compel Jolie to turn over a set of private emails related to her 2021 sale of her 50% stake in the winery. The judge determined that Pitt “has not met his burden” to override Jolie’s claim that the communications are protected under legal privilege. The ruling was issued “without prejudice,” meaning Pitt could potentially renew his request in the future, but for now, the court rejected it.
Jolie’s legal team described the ruling as a strong validation of her position. Her attorney, Paul Murphy, argued that Pitt’s attempt to access the emails was “completely out of bounds,” asserting that the documents were clearly protected communications. The statement further claimed that Pitt had initially sought access to more than 100 privileged documents before narrowing his request, ultimately receiving none of the contested materials.
The dispute centers on Jolie’s sale of her stake in Château Miraval to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of the Stoli Group, in October 2021. Pitt has argued that the sale violated a prior agreement between the former couple that allegedly required mutual consent before either could sell their share of the property. Jolie has denied the existence of such an agreement and has countersued, accusing Pitt of waging a prolonged and hostile legal campaign against her.
The contested emails reportedly include communications between Jolie and members of her business and legal teams, including financial advisors and public relations representatives. Pitt’s legal team has argued that some of these communications are not protected by attorney-client privilege because they involve business decisions rather than strictly legal advice. Jolie’s side, however, maintains that the communications were part of legal strategy discussions and therefore remain confidential.
The Château Miraval winery has become one of the most contentious assets in the couple’s divorce proceedings, which have stretched on for years. The property was once a shared investment during their marriage, and both parties have continued to dispute control and financial interests tied to it.
The broader legal conflict between the two actors has extended far beyond the winery dispute, reflecting the complexity of dividing high-value international assets following their separation. The divorce between Jolie and Pitt was finalized in December 2024, ending more than eight years of legal proceedings. Despite the divorce being settled, litigation over financial and property matters—particularly Château Miraval—has continued.
The former couple share six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. While the legal battle has remained highly publicized, both sides have largely kept personal commentary limited to court filings and official statements.
This latest ruling is significant because it reinforces the protection of privileged communications in civil disputes involving high-value business and divorce-related litigation. It also signals that the court is cautious about allowing broad discovery requests that could infringe on attorney-client confidentiality.
For now, Jolie’s legal team views the decision as a meaningful setback for Pitt’s efforts to obtain internal communications tied to the winery sale. However, because the ruling was issued without prejudice, the matter may not be fully resolved, and further legal challenges in the case remain possible.
