Jolie Denies Pitt's Claims in Ongoing Legal Battle
Angelina Jolie has formally opposed Brad Pitt's request for her past tax returns and financial records in their ongoing legal dispute over Château Miraval, the French estate and winery they purchased during their marriage. In new court filings, Jolie argued that Pitt's attempt to obtain records from 2017 to 2019 is based on what she described as a 'continued mischaracterization and selective quoting' of her previous statements.
Dispute Over Sale of Winery Stake
The dispute centers on Jolie's sale of her stake in Château Miraval to the Stoli Group. Pitt contends that the former spouses had an agreement requiring mutual consent before either party could sell an interest in the property, and he claims Jolie violated that understanding by proceeding without his approval. Jolie denies that Pitt's approval was required.
Pitt's Legal Argument
Pitt's legal team has argued that Jolie placed her financial condition at issue by stating that she sold her interest in Miraval to achieve 'financial independence.' According to Pitt, that claim makes her tax returns and related financial records relevant to the case. They maintain that the requested documents are directly relevant because Jolie has claimed she had limited economic alternatives when she sold her interest.
Jolie's Response
Jolie counters that her reference to financial independence was specifically about separating her finances from Pitt after their relationship ended, not an assertion that she was in general financial distress. 'Separating from one's ex-husband is categorically different from allegations that one is suffering from general financial distress,' her filing states. Her lawyers argue that the central issue is whether she was seeking to disentangle her life and finances from what they describe as a controlling and abusive former spouse. Pitt has consistently denied allegations of abuse.
Privacy Concerns and Voluntary Disclosure
Jolie also says she has already voluntarily produced tax returns for other years and argues that requiring additional historical records would constitute an unnecessary invasion of her privacy. Pitt's attorneys argue that if she had substantial income during the relevant period, it would undermine her assertion that she had little choice but to sell her stake. The filings note that Jolie is one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, earning approximately $33 million for Maleficent, making her Forbes' highest-paid actress for that year.
A judge has not yet ruled on whether Jolie will be required to produce the additional financial records.
