Almost 10 years after their separation, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are embroiled in a series of legal disputes involving Chateau Miraval, the French winery they once owned. Although the former Hollywood couple finalized their divorce in late 2024, the fight over the sprawling Provence estate is sparking new courtroom developments in multiple states.
The latest chapter comes after Pitt won a legal victory that includes Jolie’s testimony related to the sale of her winery stake in 2021. The decision comes just weeks after Jolie celebrated her significant court victory over confidential emails related to the same controversy.
Michigan court orders key witness brought back to testify
According to court records cited by page sixA Michigan judge has ruled in Brad Pitt’s favor on a key issue in the ongoing Chateau Miraval controversy. The ruling focuses on Todd Kuliba, the former general counsel of the Stoli Group, who was questioned during a deposition in December. During the proceedings, Kouliba was reportedly instructed not to answer 33 questions related to Angelina Jolie’s 2021 sale of her stake in Chateau Miraval to Tenue del Mondo, a company linked to the Stoli Group.
Pitt’s lawyers are trying to better understand how the sale was arranged and what role Stoli Group owner Yuri Sheffler may have played in the deal. The judge concluded that the attorney-client privilege could not be used to avoid answering questions about business aspects of the transaction. As a result, Kuliba has now been ordered to sit for another deposition and answer previously unanswered questions as well as any relevant follow-up questions.
The legal battle dates back to 2022, when Pitt sued Jolie, claiming she sold his share of the winery without his consent, despite an alleged agreement between them. Jolie has repeatedly denied that any such agreement ever existed.
Jolie recently won her victory in court
Earlier this month, Angelina Jolie scored a legal victory in California when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge rejected Brad Pitt’s request for access to a series of private emails related to the sale of Chateau Miraval. The Court found that Pitt had not provided sufficient legal justification for eliminating attorney-client privilege protections.
In a statement addressing the verdict, Angelina Jolie’s attorney Paul Murphy called the verdict a significant victory for his client. He stressed that the verdict shows that Brad Pitt was clearly out of bounds in his efforts to access privileged documents. Murphy reported that Pitt initially requested 126 privileged documents and then backed down to 22, but ultimately received none. According to the lawyer, the move reflects Pitt’s continued effort to establish control over matters related to Jolie, including private communications with his own legal team.
Murphy further claimed that Pitt’s team had originally asked for a larger set of documents before narrowing their request, but ultimately walked away without gaining access to any emails. That said, the court’s decision was issued without prejudice, meaning Pitt’s legal team could potentially make a similar request again in the future if they present a different legal argument.
Now another lawsuit involves Pitt’s skincare brand
In addition to the ongoing Chateau Miraval controversy, Brad Pitt is also facing a separate legal challenge involving his luxury skincare business. According to multiple reports, Malibu-based skincare company Beau D has filed a lawsuit against the actor over the branding of their skincare label, Beau Domaine. The company alleges that the name is too similar to its own identity and claims it causes significant confusion in the marketplace.
The controversy reportedly came to light when Pitt’s grape-inspired skincare venture underwent a corporate rebranding from its original name, Le Domaine, to Beau Domaine. Beau D’s founder Brandon Pallas claimed that the settlement was discussed in good faith before the matter ultimately turned into formal legal action. The lawsuit reportedly seeks financial damages in excess of $75,000 along with an injunction to stop the continued use of the Beau domain name altogether.
The spotlight focuses on the couple’s children
Away from the ongoing legal battles, the public’s attention has increasingly focused on the former couple’s children and their growing decision to distance themselves from the Pitt surname.
Recent reports indicate this Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt has formally filed paperwork seeking to drop Pitt from her last name and become Maddox Chivan Jolie. Court filings reportedly cited personal reasons for the request.
The move follows a series of similar decisions taken by several of his siblings in recent years. Maddox was already publicly credited as Maddox Jolie while working on Jolie’s film Couture. Meanwhile, Shiloh legally dropped Pitt from her surname after turning 18. Vivienne was credited as Vivienne Jolie in promotional material associated with the Broadway production. foreignerWhile Zahra publicly introduced herself as Zahra Marley Jolie during a college function.