Things are Taking a Nasty Turn in the Divorce and Child Support Battles of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, but is this a case of a Deadbeat Dad or Shots Fired by their Million Dollar Attorneys and Publicists?
[Source: KTLA 5 News]
Walzer Melcher partner Peter M. Walzer on KTLA 5 news discussing Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s contentious divorce and custody battle.
Things are taking a nasty turn in the divorce and child support battles of Angelina Jole and Brad Pitt, but is this a case of a deadbeat Dad or shots fired by their million dollar attorneys and publicists? Weighing in on the issue is one of California’s top Los Angeles divorce lawyers, Peter Walzer, of Walzer Melcher Family Law.
“Brad Pitt has to fight back. His reputation is at stake. The whole case weighs on who has the better position, who has the stronger moral position…And that is what lawyers do. From behind the scenes, they want to force a narrative, they want to tell a story that is compelling. And it is a compelling story on Angelina’s part to say ‘you are a bad boy, you were bad to me’ and so one. He’s got to come out and say ‘hey wait a second-I lent you 8 million dollars to buy a house. I paid the kids over a million dollars. Look at me. You are not going to control this narrative.’ You know what really happened? He asked for an early divorce. It’s called a bifurcation. She got mad. ‘You are not going to ask for the divorce first. I want the divorce. And you’re a bad boy.’ That’s what I think happened,” explains Peter Walzer, top California family law attorney.
“The client says I’m hurt. I’m angry. This is the power source. This is what I want you to do. She (Angelina’s lawyer) is not going to terminate the client. She is going to say I’m going to bring in this tough lawyer from San Francisco. They are going to lay out the case. I’m protected. I’m not doing it. I’m the good lawyer. It’s good guy, bad guy strategy. You see it all the time. That’s what lawyers do.”
We wonder how things ramp up like this and then things start to get ugly and you start to see reports of that. Then you think of this conscious uncoupling, where some couples are able to separate in a very kind way where no one gets hurt. Do you see this in your line of work? Is this possible?
“It is possible,” explains divorce lawyer Peter M. Walzer. “It is the way people should act, in the best interest of the kids. But sometimes there are emotional issues that they can’t overcome, like in this case. I think she calmed down and started working things out, but again I think she got hurt when he asked for the divorce. That threw her for a loop and she responded emotionally through her attorneys.”
We watched cases like this and they are so public and every step is dissected. You see them with ordinary people too. Is there any takeaway for an ordinary person going through a divorce when you see something like this?
“See a therapist. Get a hold of yourself. There’s the best interest of the children. There’s your money at stake. You don’t want to pay all your money to attorneys. You want to see a mediator and resolve it. If you are angry, then deal with it inside. Don’t take it out on the kids and the other person. You can do this. Be a leader in your case. Take it to a mediator and work it out,” states Peter M. Walzer, top California divorce attorney and partner of Walzer Melcher Family Law.
August 10, 2018
