Angelina Jolie has won her legal bid to have a private judge removed from her contentious child custody battle with estranged husband Brad Pitt.
Last week, lawmakers at California's 2nd District Court of Appeal agreed with the Maleficent star that John Ouderkirk should have disclosed prior business dealings with Pitt's lawyers.
"Judge Ouderkirk's ethical breach, considered together with the information disclosed concerning his recent professional relationships with Pitt's counsel, might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge's ability to be impartial," court officials ruled, adding, "Disqualification is required."
The ruling, a huge victory for Jolie, means the warring couple, officially divorced as of 2019, may be headed back to square one as they battle over custody arrangements for their five minor children.
Representatives for Jolie and Pitt have yet to comment on the ruling.
