A California court has ruled in favor of Brad Pitt in his ongoing legal battle with former wife Angelina Jolie over the sale of her stake in Château Miraval. The Superior Court of California granted a motion from Pitt's legal team on June 17, requiring representatives of the Stoli Group to give depositions. Stoli's wine division, Tenute del Mondo, purchased Jolie's share of the French winery in 2021.
Court Orders Depositions from Stoli Executives
According to court documents, the ruling compels depositions from members of the Stoli Group, including executive Alexey Oliynik. Oliynik had previously argued that as a Swiss resident, he could not be forced to produce documents or appear for deposition. However, new court filings state that Oliynik must now be deposed in London by September 30. The same requirement applies to representatives from Tenute del Mondo B.V. and Nouvel LLC, the company Jolie sold her stake to.
Pitt has argued that Stoli executives have first-hand knowledge of the transaction, which is at the center of the long-running legal dispute. A hearing on Pitt's motion to compel the deposition of Stoli owner Yuri Shefler is set for July 8.
Appeals Court Reverses Earlier Decision
In a separate ruling on June 24, California's Court of Appeal reversed an earlier decision regarding Shefler's role in the transaction. The court stated: "It defies credulity that Shefler, a sophisticated businessman, would risk almost $40 million on a transaction about which he knew nothing and with which he had no involvement."
A source close to Pitt called the ruling "another step towards transparency over what took place." The source also claimed that Shefler "was a partner [Jolie] chose knowing it was a partner Brad did not want involved in the business" and that Jolie had agreed Pitt "would have first right of refusal" before any sale.
Jolie's Team Dismisses Significance
Jolie's representatives disputed the importance of the rulings. Her lawyer told PEOPLE that the decisions have "no impact on the merits of the case, and certainly has no impact on Ms. Jolie's case." The lawyer added that Jolie is looking forward to "defeating the case at trial next year so that their family can finally focus their energies on healing and moving on."
A source close to Jolie also rejected Pitt's claims, stating that she chose Stoli because she believed it would be "an excellent world-wide distribution partner" that could help grow the business for their children. The source added, "The truth is that Pitt's ego and obsession for control got in the way. Brad refused to work with Stoli simply because Angie chose them, not him."
Background of the Legal Battle
Pitt and Jolie's legal dispute began in February 2022 when Pitt alleged that Jolie sold her share of Château Miraval without his approval, despite what he says was an earlier agreement requiring mutual consent. Jolie later countersued, saying Pitt had been "waging a vindictive war against" her since she filed for divorce in 2016. The former couple finalized their divorce settlement in December 2024, but the Château Miraval case is still ongoing.
