It seems like the battle lines have been drawn by both Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Not the movie, but the stars who played the role in former A-lister celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Brad Pitt filed on November 4 for joint legal and physical custody of his six children with Angelina Jolie which is a response to her divorce filing in September. In the divorce filed by Jolie, she requested the court for sole custody of her six children while giving visitation rights to her former husband.
While there have been reports of late that the former couple is looking for an amicable settlement of the issue, some are saying that the latest filing of Brad Pitt for joint custody of their children could muddle the agreement being worked out as it may lead to complicated legal battle, reports People.
However, Christopher Melcher, a reputable divorce lawyer, explained that the actor’s filing was really an expression of intent and not a formal request for a custody order. Melcher said that it does not mean that Brad Pitt was not willing to let Angelina Jolie have sole custody of their six children.
The divorce lawyer went on to explain that Angelina checked a box for sole custody when she filed the divorce papers in court in September while Brad just checked a boxed for joint custody. He added that it is basically just giving notice to the other party of what their intent is.
Wants to clear his name
It is possible that Brad Pitt made the filing to debunk notions and allegations that he was not a good father to his six children.
There were even nasty rumors that the reason why Angelina filed for divorce is because Brad lunged at their 15-year-old son Maddox when the teenager tried to pacify them while having a heated argument onboard a private plane. Pitt was reportedly drunk when the incident happened.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) subsequently investigated the accusations made by Angelina on Brad.
Late last month, Angelina Jolie was questioned by the FBI for four long hours over allegations that Brad Pitt have gotten verbally abusive and physical with their son Maddox while onboard the family’s private plane.
The FBI got involved in the alleged incident because they have jurisdiction over the issue since it happened on mid-air.
An insider said that the FBI will likely investigate for another few weeks. After that, they will present the case to the prosecutor, who will evaluate whether there would be a need to bring charges.
What seems certain at this time as a result of the initial investigation is that Maddox suffered no injuries and some witnesses on the jet say Brad’s contact with the boy was inadvertent.
Reports have it that the investigation was recently expanded to focus on multiple alleged incidents with the actor’s kids, details the Huffington Post.
The DCFS is said to be looking for a history or pattern of behavior. They are said to be looking at the original inciting incident and anything surrounding that, and looking at any relevant history while the family continues with therapy.
The fact that Brad Pitt was filing for joint custody means that he is also a responsible father and that he loves his children too as much as Angelina Jolie does.
Not a good sign
According to Melcher, Pitt’s filing in response to Jolie’s was also a move to show that he has received the divorce papers and that he wants to participate in defending himself in the case.