Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Celebrity Divorce Settlement Explained

[Source: BBC News]

Celebrity lawyer Christopher C. Melcher, who is ranked as a best family law attorney in California, explains Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt’s celebrity divorce settlement on BBC News.

Host: We can speak now to Christopher C. Melcher, Hollywood Celebrity divorce lawyer. Thanks for coming on the program.

Chris Melcher: Thanks for having me.

Host (00:08):

So just before we get to the latest update here, can you just fill us in as the background here and bring us kind of up to date?

Chris Melcher (00:16):

Well, this is a long running dispute (between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt). I mean much longer than any divorce typically we see. But they initially had fights over custody and then it revolved around this Miraval winery that they owned together. It’s a beautiful estate, and they built this business and after they separated, she sold her half to somebody else and without any consent or knowledge by Brad. And that left him now trying to run this winery with an involuntary partner. And that was the focus of their fight over the last few years.

Host (00:52):

And you mentioned the length of time there. What is the kind of, I suppose I can’t ask for a usual amount of time in these circumstances, but is it significantly longer? Is it much longer than you would normally expect in these kind of cases?

8 Year Celebrity Divorce Battle

Chris Melcher (01:10): It absolutely is. In a lot of these high profile cases, there’s a lot of assistance that we have from managers and accountants, and we want to keep this quiet. This is damaging to their brand and their work. So a lot of times in a case of this magnitude, we could settle it within six months, a year at the very most- eight years is really a sign of something more going on. It’s an inability to let go and a desire to really harm the other.

Host (01:38):

And how much will be public and how much will be private here?

Chris Melcher (01:44):

Well, this is the problem. The U.S. courts are open, but the parties can choose how much to put in their paperwork. So they could say that they’ve settled all issues and in a very vague way. And so we wouldn’t see the details. But really the only way to settle this thing is to bring that third party involved, the one that Angelina sold her half of the winery to. If he isn’t part of this deal, there is really no effective agreement.

Host (02:13):

Mr. Melcher, thank you very much for coming on the program. Thank you.