Brad Pitt Gains Edge in Château Miraval Fight: Michigan Judge Orders Additional Testimony From Stoli Group Lawyer

Brad Pitt scored a legal victory in his ongoing Chateau Miraval battle with ex-wife Angelina Jolie. A Michigan judge ordered key witness Todd Culyba to return for additional deposition testimony.

Brad Pitt scores legal win in Château Miraval battle, but legal wars continue.

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Pitt wins key ruling for Miraval winery deposition testimony.
• Jolie secured victory blocking Pitt's access to winery emails.
• Pitt faces separate lawsuit over
• Children are distancing themselves from the Pitt surname.

Years after their high-profile split made headlines around the world, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are still locked in courtroom battles. While their divorce was finalized in late 2024, disputes over shared business interests keep sparking fresh legal developments. The latest twist? Pitt just won a key ruling in the Château Miraval fight.

Michigan Ruling Goes Pitt's Way

According to court documents cited by Page Six, a Michigan judge ordered Todd Culyba, former General Counsel of the Stoli Group, to return for additional deposition testimony. During a December deposition, Culyba reportedly declined to answer 33 questions about Jolie's 2021 sale of her Château Miraval stake to Tenute del Mondo, a company tied to the Stoli Group.

Pitt's legal team wants more details about how the transaction was structured and Yuri Shefler's involvement, the businessman behind the Stoli Group. The judge ruled that attorney-client privilege cannot shield answers about the business side of the deal, so Culyba must now appear again and respond to previously unanswered questions.

 Jolie Scores Her Own Victory In California

The winery dispute began in 2022 when Pitt sued Jolie, alleging she sold her interest without his approval despite an alleged mutual consent agreement. Jolie has consistently denied that such an agreement existed.

However, Jolie recently won her own legal battle. Earlier this month, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied Pitt's request to access private emails tied to the winery sale. Jolie's attorney, Paul Murphy, called it "a significant win for his client". Murphy argued Pitt's document requests "went beyond acceptable legal boundaries" and noted that while Pitt initially sought 126 privileged documents before reducing to 22, he "ultimately received none of them".

 Beyond Miraval: More Legal Trouble

Pitt also faces a skincare lawsuit. Malibu-based Beau D filed suit against Pitt over his luxury skincare label "Beau Domaine," claiming the branding is too similar. The case seeks more than $75,000 in damages plus an injunction blocking the name.

Children Distance Themselves From Pitt Surname

Public attention has increasingly shifted to the couple's children. Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt reportedly filed paperwork to legally change his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie. Shiloh removed Pitt from her surname after turning 18, while Vivienne and Zahara now use "Jolie" professionally. The legal war shows no signs of ending soon.