Brad Pitt just earned a major victory in court.
According to multiple entertainment news and celebrity gossip outlets, a judge has ruled that Pitt and ex-wife Angelina Jolie must evenly split legal and physical custody of their five minor children.
The former couple's oldest child, Maddox, is 19 years old and therefore may make his own decision in regard to where he lives and with whom he spends time.
The official ruling took place awhile back and has been sealed, reports People Magazine, so very few details outside of these important basics are available to the public right now.
Jolie, who has alleged in the past that Pitt was abusive to their children, had been hoping for sole custody.
She had argued in court that Pitt should only be permitted to supervised visitation with his sons and daughters, even bringing in a number of psychologists to testify on her behalf in court.
A source close to the issue tells Page Six that the custody ruling is a “tentative decision,” adding that Jolie is continuing her legal fight.
She's allegedly pretty angry about it, too.
On Monday, Jolie filed a complaint to California's Second District Court of Appeal over the judge's ruling and continuing purview over the case.
She previously failed to have the judge, who is also overseeing their divorce dispute, removed last November.
An insider claims to People that "joint custody is not the issue that Angelina objects to, there were other issues of concern, but the court proceedings are closed and sealed."
Per the Associated Press, Jolie's attorneys argued that "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."
The actress further alleged that the judge -- who actually officiated Pitt and Jolie's wedding back in 2014 -- "refused to hear the minor teenagers' input as to their experiences, needs, or wishes as to their custody fate."
In other words:
Jolie claims that the feelings of the kids themselves were ignored in court.
Pitt and Jolie split in late 2017.
The latter star was the one who filed for divorce, alleging shortly afterward that Pitt gave her almost no choice after reportedly getting into a heated verbal altercation with Maddox on board a private plane.
At one point, the FBI was even brought in to investigate Pitt and these allegations.
He was never charged with any crime.
Jolie’s lawyer said at the time that she sought a divorce “for the health of the family.”
As for this latest dispute over the long-term care of their many kids?
“There was a significant change made in the custody agreements based on an extremely detailed decision made by the judge," another source tells Page Six.
“Brad was just trying to have more time with his kids — and it has been clear that Angie has done everything possible to prevent this.”
Adds the newspaper:
“This trial lasted for several months and there were a f–k ton of witnesses, experts, therapists and other people who have been with the kids and around them, and the decision was based on this."
As has been the case throughout their ugly break-up and court battle, neither Jolie nor Pitt has commented on this new development.
They continue to talk publicly through their legal teams only.