Angelina Jolie slams ‘biased’ judge in Brad Pitt’s custody case and calls on Gov. Gavin Newsom to require judges to undergo domestic violence training

• “Mister. The actress and Mrs. Smith have been fighting for custody of their children for years
• The judge overseeing the case was removed from office after failing to disclose a business relationship with her then-husband Brad Pitt’s lawyer.
• Jolie wrote a letter to the governor of California urging him to sign the bill known as “Spade’s Law.”

Angelina Jolie allegedly believes the judge in her conservatorship case was “biased” against her ex-husband Brad Pitt, and now the actress is calling on California’s governor to require training for court professionals on domestic violence.

In a two-page letter dated Sept. 29, the Girl, Interrupted actress called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to support Spade’s Law.

The bill would ban children from being sent to “reunification camps” that force them to live with their abusive parent.

It will also establish domestic violence training programs for court officials and mediators, focusing on the impact of child abuse and trauma.

“You know that Pica’s Law gets its name from the name of a five-year-old boy who was tragically killed by his father in April 2017,” Jolie wrote.

“Pica’s mother, Ana Estevez, fought unsuccessfully in California family court to secure protection for her child.

“For the past six years, Ana has worked with California legislators to ensure that authorities do not overlook or ignore signs of abuse, signs that tragically lead to the harm and death of countless children in our country.”

A source close to Jolie said the actress is pushing for the legislation following her experience with Los Angeles Judge John Ouderkirk, who refused to allow her children to testify about the domestic abuse they suffered at the hands of their father.

Oderkirk, a retired private judge who officiated at the couple’s wedding, ruled in May 2021 that the couple would retain equal custody of their children.

“This is personal for her, and for good reason,” the source said, citing her differences with the “biased” Ouderkirk, who was removed from the case after failing to disclose his business dealings with Pitt’s lawyers.

Jolie argued that Ouderkirk denied her children the opportunity to testify, even though California law allows children 14 and older to do so.

She challenged the judge’s custody decision and petitioned the appeals court to remove him from the case. He was disqualified in July 2021.

“Their entire family was a victim of a system failure,” the source continued.

“She fought for years privately for her family and publicly for other families.”

However, sources close to Brad Pitt told the New York Post that Jolie is trying to “distort the truth” and damage the reputations of those who opposed her.

“While the legislation she supports is potentially very viable, it has nothing to do with her custody case,” one source said.

“It is inexplicable that she would use her propaganda activities to further smear her in an attempt to ignore all objective facts to advance her own interests.”

Sources close to the World War Z actor’s legal team also said the decision to remove Oderkirk was based on a “technical procedure” and had nothing to do with the facts surrounding the case.

They denied that the judge was dealing with “anyone.”

Jolie fought to retain custody of the children after a 2016 dispute detailed in an FBI report.

Pitt, who was drinking, “grabbed her head, shook her” and shook Jolie’s shoulders as they argued over one of their children on a private flight to France.

According to Jolie, Pitt said: “You are ruining this family!” and hit the ceiling four times.

When the children asked if she was okay, Pitt replied: “No, she’s not okay, she’s destroying this family, she’s crazy.”

Then one of the children shouted: “It’s not her, it’s you, you bastard!” before Pitt accused the child.

Jolie restrained him, causing injuries to his back and elbow, the report claims.

Six days later, the actress filed for divorce, but the FBI did not bring charges against Pitt.

A source close to Jolie said Pitt has “never denied his abusive behavior” and added: “If this happened to Jolie in her court case, just imagine what’s happening across the country.”

However, a source close to Pitt said the actor admitted his guilt in connection with the plane fiasco, but reiterated that no charges have been brought against him.

“These FBI reports were used as evidence at the custody hearing, where he was still granted 50/50 custody,” the source said.

“Anyone who stood against her or opposed her, she tried to destroy. These defamatory comments about Judge Oderkirk are patently false, and she even harassed a child expert who testified in this case.”

“Spade’s Law,” officially known as Senate Bill 331, passed the California Legislature on September 15 and now awaits Newsom’s signature to take full effect.

It is named after Aramazd Andresian Jr., a 5-year-old boy who was killed by his father after a trip to Disneyland in 2017.

The boy’s mother, Ana Estevez, warned officials that his father was dangerous when she tried to divorce him.

However, the man was granted joint custody of their son and the judge allowed him to take the boy, affectionately known as Peaky, on holiday.

He initially claimed his son had been kidnapped, but months later he led police to the site where he was buried in a wooded area near Santa Barbara.

On Sept. 18, activists gathered on the steps outside Pasadena City Hall, urging Newsom to support the bill.

The governor has until Oct. 14 to sign it or veto it. If he takes no action, SB-331 will take effect Jan. 1.