Brad Pitt Scores Legal Win Against Angelina Jolie in Chateau Miraval Dispute

In a significant legal development, Brad Pitt has achieved a victory in his ongoing dispute with ex-wife Angelina Jolie regarding Chateau Miraval, a French winery. A Michigan judge has mandated that a key witness, Todd Culyba, return for further testimony after it was found that his previous deposition was obstructed. This ruling comes amid a series of contentious legal battles between the former couple, which have persisted since their divorce in December 2024. The complexities of their family dynamics are further highlighted by their children's recent decision to drop 'Pitt' from their surname. Read on to discover more about this unfolding legal saga.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 29, 2026, 04:44 IST

Legal Developments in the Chateau Miraval Case

Brad Pitt has recently celebrated a notable legal success in his ongoing battle with ex-wife Angelina Jolie over the ownership of Chateau Miraval, a winery located in France. A judge in Michigan has ordered that a crucial witness, General Counsel Todd Culyba, must return for another deposition. This ruling follows findings that attorneys for the Stoli Group had improperly hindered Culyba's testimony during a significant deposition concerning the sale of Jolie's share in the winery.

According to court filings, the judge's ruling, made on May 20, arose from an incident in December where Culyba was allegedly told not to respond to 33 specific inquiries. These questions were related to Yuri Shelfer, the ultimate beneficial owner of Stoli, and his role in the acquisition of Jolie's stake in the winery. The judge determined that attorney-client privilege did not apply to these business-related questions, suggesting they could have been adequately addressed during the initial deposition.

Consequently, Culyba is now obligated to attend a new deposition, where he will need to answer not only the previously blocked questions but also any further inquiries that may come up. This ruling follows a recent legal setback for Pitt, as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied his request for private emails concerning the winery dispute, stating he failed to meet the legal criteria to bypass attorney-client privilege.

Pitt had previously achieved a discovery-related victory in December 2025, when a judge mandated Jolie to provide certain unredacted communications that were not shielded by attorney-client privilege. The ongoing legal disputes between the former Hollywood couple have been characterized by a series of contentious issues since their divorce was finalized in December 2024, after an extensive eight-year legal battle.

Beyond their legal challenges, Pitt and Jolie are parents to six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. Recently, the children have attracted media attention for their choice to legally remove 'Pitt' from their surname, further emphasizing the complexities of their family dynamics following their parents' highly publicized separation.