The California Supreme Court refused Brad Pitt’s petition for review in his custody battle with Angelina Jolie

In the custody fight between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Pitt’s request for a rehearing after Judge John Ouderkirk was disqualified, nullifying a prior order that gave Pitt additional time with the couple’s five minor children. “Petition for review & motion for stay refused,” the court said in its judgement.

According to People, Jolie and Pitt’s custody agreement for their minor children, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox, was finalised in November 2018. “Ms Jolie is focused on her family and glad that her children’s wellbeing will not be led by unethical activity,” Jolie’s legal counsel said in a statement following Wednesday’s verdict, according to People.

“We will continue to do everything that is legally necessary based on the detailed findings of the independent experts,” Pitt’s representative told USA Today.

Angelina and Brad’s custody battle over their five minor children, which appeared to be reaching an end before the recent revelation, is likely to restart with a new judge.

Pitt’s appeal was denied by the California Supreme Court because of Jolie’s key success in July when Judge Ouderkirk was disqualified for “failure to make mandatory disclosures” about other judicial processes involving Pitt’s legal counsel. Because he omitted to reveal ongoing or new cases Pitt’s attorneys had hired him to handle, Jolie’s team argued that Ouderkirk, who was serving as the couple’s private judge, could be prejudiced in his judgements.

Pitt’s legal team, on the other hand, claimed that Jolie was aware of Ouderkirk’s prior professional history with Pitt’s attorney.