American actress Angelina Jolie has won a minor victory in a controversy over the custody of her children. A court found a judge biased. Now it goes to the next round.

In the custody dispute between ex-husbands Angelina Jolie (46) and Brad Pitt (57), the actress won. US media reported Friday that an appeals report in California followed Jolie’s request to recall Private Judge John Ouderkirk. Ouderkirk had violated his “ethical obligations”, “People.com”, quoted from the court’s decision.

In a long-running dispute over the custody of the former couple’s five underage biological and adopted children, Jolie and Pitt had turned to a private judge. In May, Oderkirk agreed to an extension of Pitt’s custody rights, angering Jolie. The actress appealed. The Court of Appeal has now found that the impartiality of the private judge was in doubt. He did not disclose other business relationships to Pitt’s lawyers.

Pitt’s lawyers don’t see much of a problem

A spokesperson for Pitt told People.com that it was just a procedural issue. The facts about what would be best for kids haven’t changed. Trial observers believe the custody dispute, which has been kept under lock and key, will last even longer. Jolie and Pitt may appoint a new private judge to mediate or go to public family court.

After a long relationship, the actors got married in 2014. Two years later, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt, which became official in 2019. He sought sole custody of six children, now aged between 12 and 19. Since then, talks are going on in the court regarding the distribution of custody and finance. The eldest son, Maddox, 19, is no longer part of the trial.