Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt may have finalized their divorce, but their long-running legal battle over Château Miraval is still far from over.
Now, a new court ruling in Jolie’s favor has sparked fresh online theories after a judge blocked Pitt from gaining access to a series of private emails tied to the winery dispute.
The decision quickly sparked debate, with some seeing it as a win for Jolie and others speculating about the contents of the protected emails.
Highlights
- A judge ruled in favor of Angelina Jolie, blocking Brad Pitt from accessing private emails between her and her legal team regarding the sale of Château Miraval.
- The legal team for Pitt argued the emails were necessary for the case.
- This dispute stems from Jolie's 2021 sale of her winery shares.
“Wonder what’s in those emails that she’s sooooo desperate to protect?” one person wrote online.
Angelina Jolie scored a courtroom victory after a judge blocked Brad Pitt’s request for private emails
Image credits: Getty/Vittorio Zunino Celotto
On May 5, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cindy Pánuco sided with Jolie in the ongoing Château Miraval case.
Pitt had been trying to obtain private emails between Jolie and members of her business and legal teams connected to the 2021 sale of her winery shares. His legal team argued that the messages could contain evidence relevant to the terms of the deal.
However, the judge ruled that Pitt failed to prove the emails were not protected by the attorney-client privilege.
The court ultimately denied his motion “without prejudice,” meaning Pitt could still try again later if new evidence surfaces.
Image credits: Getty/Dimitrios Kambouris
Jolie’s attorney, Paul Murphy, quickly described the ruling as a major victory for the actress.
“This is an important victory for Ms. Jolie,” Murphy said in a statement. “The decision shows that Mr. Pitt was completely out of bounds when he sought access to obviously privileged documents.”
According to Murphy, Pitt initially demanded access to 126 confidential documents before narrowing the request down to 22 emails.
Image credits: Getty/Gareth Cattermole
Murphy also accused Pitt of repeatedly trying to control Jolie even years after their separation.
“It continues Mr. Pitt’s pattern of demanding control over anything Angelina, including control over her communications with her own attorneys,” the lawyer claimed.
Pitt’s side, however, argued the ruling was not a complete loss. Sources close to the actor reportedly claimed the judge left the door open for his legal team to revisit the issue later as more evidence develops.
The legal battle started after Jolie sold her shares of Château Miraval in 2021
The ongoing fight centers around Château Miraval, the famous French estate and winery the former couple once shared during their marriage.
The 1,200-acre property in Correns, France, became one of Brad and Angelina’s most recognizable shared assets after they purchased it together and later married there in 2014.
The estate is not just a luxury home. It also includes vineyards, olive groves, and Miraval Studios, a famous recording studio previously used by artists including Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Muse, Travis Scott, and Kendrick Lamar.
The legal drama began in 2021 when Jolie sold her shares of the winery to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli Group, for around $67 million.
Image credits: Getty/Fred Duval
Pitt later sued her in 2022, claiming they had an agreement that neither could sell their shares without the other’s approval. Jolie denied that such an agreement ever existed.
She later countersued Pitt and accused him of launching a “vindictive war” against her after she filed for divorce in 2016.
The trial over the winery dispute is currently expected to take place in 2027, though Jolie has reportedly asked for an earlier date.
Fans became deeply divided online after the recent ruling
Image credits: WireImage
As details about the judge’s decision spread online, reactions quickly became mixed.
Some users sided with Jolie and believed Pitt’s legal requests crossed a line. Others became convinced the emails must contain damaging information.
“That’s not really a win. That’s the judge just denying document discovery,” one person argued online.
Another user commented, “At this rate, the winery is going to age faster than the case.”
Some people also blamed both stars for allowing the legal battle to continue for so many years.
“Omg has this not gone on ten years?” one person wrote. “Be cheaper to have settled years ago rather than further enrich the lawyers.”
Others dragged the former couple’s personal history back into the conversation, including the controversy surrounding Pitt's departure from Jennifer Aniston after meeting Jolie on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005.
“The other woman. The home wrecker,” one critic commented.
Another wrote, “Who cares. She is a home wrecker with no respect for anyone other than herself. Brad made a huge mistake with her.”
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship has remained under public scrutiny for nearly two decades
Pitt and Jolie first met while filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005, while Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Their relationship quickly became one of the most talked-about celebrity romances in the world.
The couple eventually had six children together: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
However, their marriage officially ended after Jolie filed for divorce in 2016 following a private jet incident that reportedly caused major family tensions.
Although their divorce was finalized in December 2024, several of their children have since distanced themselves publicly from Pitt.
Shiloh Jolie legally removed “Pitt” from her last name after turning 18, while Zahara, Vivienne, and Maddox have also publicly dropped the surname in different settings.
"Legal battles keep getting messier in this saga," wrote one netizen
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