Angelina Jolie criticizes judge deciding custody arrangements with Brad Pitt
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arrangements for her and Brad Pitt’s children, saying in a court filing that the judge has refused to allow their children to testify.
Jolie, who has sought to disqualify judge John Ouderkirk from the divorce case, said in a court filing on Monday that he declined to hear evidence she says is relevant to the children’s safety and wellbeing before issuing a tentative ruling. The documents don’t elaborate on what that evidence may be.
“Judge Ouderkirk denied Ms Jolie a fair trial, improperly excluding her evidence relevant to the children’s health, safety, and welfare, evidence critical to making her case,” according to the filing in California’s second district court of appeal.
The actor also said the judge “has failed to adequately consider” a section of the California courts code, which says it is detrimental to the best interest of the child if custody is awarded to a person with a history of domestic violence. Her filing did not give details on what domestic violence it was referring to.
Jolie sought a divorce in 2016, days after a disagreement broke out on a private flight ferrying the actors and their children from France to Los Angeles. Pitt was accused of being abusive toward his then-15-year-old son during the flight, but investigations by child welfare officials and the FBI were closed with no charges being filed against the actor. Jolie’s attorney said at the time that she sought a divorce “for the health of the family”.
Photo: US actress Angelina Jolie. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL
