Angelina Jolie has won a legal victory in her custody battle with Brad Pitt.
The actress filed for divorce from Brad in September 2016, just two years after the couple finally tied knot after 10 years together.
Last year, Brad was granted joint custody of his and Angelina’s five minor children – Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12.
In court on Friday, a California appeals court granted Angelina’s request to disqualify private judge John W. Ouderkirk from continuing to preside over the custody battle – after the actress complained that he was not impartial.
The court ruling said the judge should have disclosed his previous professional relationships with attorneys representing Brad.
The ruling, obtained by E! News, said Ouderkirk had committed an “ethical breach” that “might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge’s ability to be impartial. Disqualification is required.”
Brad had opposed his ex-wife’s bid to remove Ouderkirk.
A spokesperson for the actor said the ruling was based on a technical issue and that the judge’s previous decision to allow Brad to share custody was based on the testimony of expert witnesses.
“We will continue to do what’s necessary legally, based on those detailed findings of what’s best for the children,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The former couple’s sixth child Maddox is 19 and therefore is not subject to custody arrangements.
