Brad Pitt granted joint custody of children with Angelina Jolie

Former couple have been embroiled in divorce proceedings for nearly five years

Brad Pitt has been granted joint custody of his children with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.

Since announcing their separation in 2016, Jolie and Pitt have been embroiled in divorce proceedings concerning custody and property disagreements.

News of the ruling comes after a lengthy legal battle that has spanned nearly five years during which Pitt sought equal rights to the six children he and Jolie share from their past relationship.

As reported by Page Six, Judge John Ouderkirk – a private judge hired by the former couple – made the decision after months of witness testimony.

A source close to the issue told the outlet that the ruling is a “tentative decision” and claimed that Jolie will be looking to overturn it.

The actors share six children together, Maddox, Zahara, Pax, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox.

The Independent has contacted a representative of both Pitt and Jolie for comment.

Earlier today (26 May), Jolie had criticised Ouderkirk for not allowing their children to testify before the judge issued a tentative ruling.

The Changeling star – who has previously sought to disqualify Ouderkirk from the divorce case – said in a court filing today (26 May), that the judge has declined to hear evidence she says is relevant to their children’s safety and wellbeing.

“Judge Ouderkirk denied Ms Jolie a fair trial, improperly excluding her evidence relevant to the children’s health, safety, and welfare, evidence critical to making her case,” read the filing in California’s Second District Court of Appeal.

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The statement also alleged that the judge “has failed to adequately consider” a section of the California courts code, which states that it is detrimental to a child’s best interest if custody is awarded to a person with a history of domestic violence. Her filing did not give details on what domestic violence it was referring to.

In March this year, reports emerged that Jolie was prepared to give “proof” of Pitt’s alleged domestic violence.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Jolie had filed numerous documents stating that she is prepared to give “proof and authority in support” of Pitt’s alleged domestic abuse during their marriage.

Angelina Jolie at a Maleficent: Mistress of Evil event in 2019 (Tiziana Fabi/Getty Images)

Jolie and Pitt first started dating in 2004 on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith and were married in 2014. Jolie filed for divorce two years later, citing “irreconcilable differences”.

The Maleficent star has said in multiple interviews that the separation was for their family’s “well-being”.

In 2016, multiple outlets reported news of an alleged incident involving Pitt and his then-15-year-old son Maddox aboard the family’s private plane.

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A source close to Pitt told People that the Fight Club actor had been “drunk, and there was an argument between him and Angelina… There was a parent-child argument which was not handled in the right way and escalated more than it should have”.

According to The Cut, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services launched an investigation into Pitt. It was eventually dropped and Pitt was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.