Brad Pitt scores win in winery dispute with ex Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt may have scored a win in his yearslong winery dispute with ex Angelina Jolie, but the battle is far from over.

A judge partially granted the Oscar-winning actor's motion in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, June 24, to require testimony from key business associates of Jolie's, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.

The former couple, who divorced in 2019, have been locked in an ongoing legal battle since 2022 over Château Miraval, the French winery they once owned and where Jolie and Pitt married in 2014.

Pitt first filed his lawsuit over their $164 million business in February 2022, arguing Jolie's sale of the property to an investment firm was unlawful, as when they purchased the Château together in 2008, they decided not to sell before mutually agreeing on the move.

In Wednesday's ruling from Judge Cindy Pánuco, depositions have been ordered for spirits businessman Alexey Oliynik, as well as representatives from Tenute Del Mondo and Nouvel. Oliynik serves on the board of directors for Stoli Group, an alcoholic beverages conglomerate that became an equal shareholder in Château Miraval in 2021.

Tenute Del Mondo is a wine-centric division of Stoli Group, according to the company's official website. Nouvel is Jolie's former investment firm, which holds what was once her 50% stake in the winery.

The companies must now provide Pitt's legal team with the dates when Oliynik will be available to provide testimony no later than Aug. 7. Additionally, the availability of Marina Troyanovskaya, head of marketing at Stoli Group, will also be expected to be confirmed by the same date.

Pitt's request for possible sanctions, or monetary fines, in the legal proceeding was denied, per court documents.

The verdict comes a year after Pitt first filed his request for depositions last June, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY. Earlier this week, both Tenute Del Mondo and Nouvel objected to Pitt's request in motions of their own.

Jolie's attorney, Paul Murphy, dismissed Pitt's legal victory in a statement to USA TODAY on Friday.

"The ruling has no impact on the merits of the case and certainly has no impact on Ms. Jolie's case," Murphy said. "At this point, Ms. Jolie is just looking forward to defeating the case at trial next year so that their family can finally focus their energies on healing and moving on."

Regarding Jolie's business dealings with Stoli Group, a source close to the situation said the actress "did not sell to Stoli for any reason other than she expected Stoli to be an excellent worldwide distribution partner who could help grow the business for the benefit of their children, who stood to inherit Brad's portion."

"The truth is that Pitt's ego and obsession for control got in the way," the source added. "Brad refused to work with Stoli simply because [Jolie] chose them, not him."

A spokesperson for Pitt declined to comment on the ruling.

Pitt and Jolie are expected to go to trial in August 2027, according to the Los Angeles County Superior Court's official website.

The actors first met on the "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" set in 2005, quickly becoming a couple and instant tabloid fodder following Pitt's divorce from Jennifer Aniston.

In May, Jolie scored a victory of her own when Judge Pánuco determined that she was not required to provide Pitt's attorneys with access to 22 unredacted emails after previous rulings compelled her legal team to do so.

Appeals court reverses decision on Russian billionaire's participation in winery case

Judge Pánuco's ruling coincides with another legal win for Pitt in his winery case against Jolie.

On Wednesday, June 24, the Second District Court of Appeal in California reversed its previous decision regarding the participation of Russian businessman Yuri Shefler, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.

Shefler, whose estimated net worth is $1.1 billion, is the owner of SPI Group, the parent company of Stoli Group, and also owns a majority stake in Stoli Group. He was previously sued alongside Jolie, SPI Group and Tenute Del Mondo for his alleged involvement in the negotiation process that led to Jolie's sale of her shares in Miraval.

In August 2023, Shefler filed a motion to quash his participation in the case, claiming that he did not take part in negotiations and that his Swiss residence exempted him from the jurisdiction of California law. The trial court granted the motion due to a lack of evidence from Pitt and his investment company, Mondo Bongo.

However, in a reversal of that decision, the Second District Court found that Shefler "purposefully availed himself of the benefits" of doing business with Jolie, including direct communications with the actress and "structuring and finalizing the deal to purchase Nouvel, Jolie's California company that owned Miraval."

Pitt previously filed a motion to require deposition from Shefler, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for July 8.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman and Morgan Hines, USA TODAY