Last week, it was erroneously reported by several media outlets that a child custody settlement had been reached between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in their divorce case. However, last Friday, Pitt filed papers with the court that clearly indicate that the divorce and child custody battle is still on.
The announcement of their marriage, and then their divorce, each have caused a media frenzy as the couple has been one of the most popular celebrity couples of all time. The erroneous report claimed that Brad had agreed to let Angelina have primary custody, and to only have visitation rights for himself. For those that thought this sounded off, you were right.
Why’d Everyone Think They Settled?
Apparently, there was, at some point, a news report circulating that Angelina and Brad had settled the child custody dispute. Most outlets have updated or deleted the stories by this point. While sources close to the couple were able to quickly dismiss the rumor, for those not in the inner circle of Brangelina, Pitt’s filing last week demanding joint custody certainly tells a different story than what was reported.
Unfortunately, since the internet exists, the news was re-reported without fact checking, and the story was clicked, liked, retweeted, shared, and tumbled, despite having been fumbled to begin with. Apparently, the couple agreed that until the judge ruled, the children would live with Jolie and Pitt would be allowed to visit.
How Much Longer Until Brangelina Stops Being Used?
While the divorce was only just filed in September of this year, Angelina appears to already be going for the throat. Hopefully, the whole process will be done in a few more months and we can retire the name Brangelina for all time. Until then, Angelina has requested a court grant her sole custody, and to only provide Brad with visitation rights. In Brad’s filing, he is requesting that the court order joint, shared custody.
Although a person can request nearly anything, there are some things that a judge won’t order absent extraordinary circumstances, even for the rich and famous. One of those things judges are unlikely to order is sole custody when both parents are rich, ready, willing and able to provide for their children, especially in California where the courts tend to view joint custody as the best option for the children absent abuse or neglect.
Related Resources:
- The Celebritiest Divorce of Them All: Brangelina to Go by Just Brad and Angelina Now (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- Papa Didn’t Preach: Madonna’s Child Custody Battle Settled (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- An Unhappy Ending: Epilogue to ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Is Divorce (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- Top Celebrities Choose Surrogacy to Become Parents, Should You? (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)