Angelina Jolie is preparing for trial next year after Brad Pitt achieved a legal victory in their ongoing dispute over the sale of Chateau Miraval, with both parties remaining steadfast in their position. (Instagram)
Angelina Jolie is preparing for her upcoming civil trial with Brad Pitt over the disputed sale of Chateau Miraval following a recent court ruling in the actor’s favor. The California Supreme Court granted Pitt’s request to compel depositions from members of the company that acquired the winery, in a June 17 decision.According to People magazine, the ruling represents another development in the former spouses’ long-running legal battle over wine ownership, which has become one of the most contentious ownership disputes in Hollywood. Jolie’s lawyer responded to the court’s decision by emphasizing her client’s focus on the upcoming trial and her determination to resolve the matter.
Court victory for Brad Pitt regarding depositions
Pitt’s legal team successfully proved that executives from the company that bought Château Miraval had direct knowledge of Jolie’s 2021 sale of her stake in the winery.
The court ruled that these people must provide statements even though they are located outside the United States.In June 2025, Pitt was trying to fire an executive at the acquiring company, but court documents said the man refused to hand over documents or appear for questioning under the guise that he was based in Switzerland. The recent ruling overcame these objections, and decided that depositions should take place in London by September 30.
The broader context of Pitt’s claims
Pitt filed his lawsuit against Jolie in 2023, seeking damages related to the sale of her stake in Château Miraval to the company’s wine division. In his legal filings, Pitt claimed the deal involved a “Russian-affiliated spirits conglomerate” and posed reputational risks for the company he helped found. His legal team emphasized concerns about a boycott linked to Russian ownership of the company and allegations regarding anti-LGBTQ legislation.The executive whom Pitt sought to remove is a high-ranking official within the company. The company itself is controlled by a Russian expatriate billionaire based in Switzerland. New court documents reveal that “the most qualified persons” from the entities involved in the deal structure will also be asked to testify at depositions.
Court of Appeal ruling on billionaire involvement
On June 24, the California Court of Appeal issued a separate ruling regarding the businessman who runs the company.
An appeals court overturned part of an earlier decision, finding it “defies credulity” that he would risk nearly $40 million in a deal in which he had no role. A hearing on the motion to compel him to testify is scheduled for July 8.
Angelina Jolie’s response and legal strategy
Jolie’s legal representation has responded to the recent rulings by downplaying their importance to the case as a whole. Her lawyer told the newspaper on June 25: “The rulings had no impact on the merits of the case, and certainly no impact on Ms. Jolie’s case.”
“At this stage, Ms Jolie is looking forward to defeating the case at trial next year so her family can finally focus their energies on healing and moving forward.
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Competing narratives about the sale
A source close to Jolie provided context for her decision to sell. “She did not sell to the company for any reason other than that she expected to be an excellent distribution partner globally who could help grow the business for the benefit of their children, who would inherit Brad’s stake,” the insider said.The same source attributed the conflict in the business relationship to Pitt’s personal dynamics.
“The truth is that Pete’s ego and obsession with control got in the way. Brad refused to work with the company simply because Angie chose them and not him,” the source said.
Brad Pitt’s view on governance
A separate source close to Pitt described the court’s decision differently, calling it progress toward understanding what happened. “The court victory is another step toward transparency about what happened,” an insider told the outlet.
The source claimed that the businessman “was a partner chosen by Jolie, knowing that he was a partner that Brad did not want to participate in the business.”According to this account, Jolie initially agreed that Pitt would have a “first right of refusal” before any sale of her stake, but she went through with the deal without his approval. “The latest rulings mean that company members, including the businessman, will have to explain exactly how the deal was coordinated,” the source said.
The original dispute and Divorce settlement
The legal battle over Chateau Miraval began in February 2022, when Pitt filed a complaint alleging that Jolie sold her stake despite a prior agreement requiring mutual consent to any such deal. Jolie countersued in September 2022, alleging that the actor had been “waging a war of revenge against her” since she filed for divorce in 2016 after two years of marriage.The couple, who have six children together, reached a divorce settlement in December 2024 although the property dispute continues independently.
