Brad Pitt wins key court ruling in Château Miraval dispute with Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt has secured a significant legal victory in his ongoing dispute with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie over the ownership of the French business they once owned together, Château Miraval.

According to People, a California court has granted Pitt's request to compel key members of the Stoli Group to provide a testimony regarding Jolie's 2021 sale of her stake in the estate to the division of the spirits company, Tenute del Mondo. The depositions, including that of Stoli executive Alexey Oliynik, are expected to happen in London before the end of September.

In a separate ruling, the California Court of Appeals also established that Stoli Group owner Yuri Shefler may have played a more significant role in the deal than previously claimed. There is a hearing on whether Shefler must also provide testimony is scheduled for July.

Sources close to Pitt described the rulings as ‘another step toward uncovering how the sale was arranged’, maintaining that Jolie sold her share despite agreeing with Pitt the first opportunity to purchase it. Pitt's legal team has also claimed that the sale jeopardised the winery's reputation.

Jolie's representatives, however, argue the latest rulings do not affect the core of the case. A source close to the actress said she chose Stoli because she believed the company would help expand the business for the benefit of their children, while accusing Pitt of allowing "ego and obsession for control" to drive the dispute.

The former couple's legal battle began in 2022 following Pitt's lawsuit over the sale, years after their 2016 split. Their divorce was finalised in December 2024.

Contributed by Mahreen Salim