Physically separated in 2016, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt formally got divorced in 2019. They had been together for well over a decade. According to the latest developments, Angelina Jolie has released new legal papers evidencing domestic abuse cases involving Brad Pitt. In the papers, the Hollywood actor claims that Angelina Jolie's children are prepared to testify against Pitt.
Angelina said she had proof and authority in support of Brad's alleged domestic abuse in court papers filed under seal.
According to the documents, Angelina and her children can testify. Still, a different document states that both Brad and Angelina must give the court permission to include their minor-aged children — Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12 — in the proceedings. The ex-couple also have two young adult, Maddox, 17, and Pax, 17, who do not need parental permission to testify in the courtroom.
According to a source, Angelina's filing was an effort to alter the "narrative" surrounding her custody dispute.
Following an alleged altercation between Brad and Maddox on the family's private plane in 2016, Brad was accused of child abuse and later cleared.
According to a source close to Brad Pitt, the filings are an effort to injure the actor. The source also said Angelina had made various allegations over the last four and a half years that have been investigated but not substantiated. Angelina Jolie's children were previously used to harm Brad, and this is more of the same.
The Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services launched an investigation into the incident, interviewing both Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's children. Almost immediately, the agency cleared him of all charges of child abuse.
The claims, however, have taken their toll, with reports claiming that the couple's oldest son, Maddox, has stopped speaking to his father. In interviews, Pitt has acknowledged that his struggles with alcohol and rage played a part in his divorce.
Pitt seeks joint physical and legal custody of his children in a 50-50 split. In June 2019, he and Jolie were rumored to be working on an "amicable" co-parenting partnership while living in neighboring estates in Los Angeles' Los Feliz neighborhood.
The Dangers of Children Providing Testimony in Family Court
Children are also witnesses to some of the dramatic incidents that lead to the breakdown of marriages and child custody disputes, which is an unfortunate fact. It's not unusual for parents to request their children testify against the other parent in family court.
While an older child could provide vital evidence that may impact the outcome of a divorce or child custody dispute, allowing a minor child to testify carries risks.
Accusations that the other parent poisoned your child
When a child testifies against them negatively, one of the most common defenses is accusing the other parent of "brainwashing" the child. This counter-argument may or may not be persuasive depending on a variety of factors, including the quality of the facts the child is taking to court, the strength of the other parent's case, among others.
Parent-Child's Relationship May Be Impaired
While a child's evidence might be valuable in your custody battle, they may hate the fact that they were pitted against the other parent. Some parents who force their children to testify can get what they want but at the expense of their children's relationships.
Unpredictable child's testimony
Even if both parents despise each other, the child is likely to love and support both his and her mother and father. When a child is placed in a legal position and forced to provide negative information against one or both parents, the outcome is often uncertain.
