Angelina Jolie wins appeal to remove judge in Brad Pitt divorce case
July 24, 2021, 2:13 am

Angelina Jolie wins appeal to remove judge in Brad Pitt divorce case

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

According to the BBC, Angelina Jolie has clinched a victory in her legal battle with Brad Pitt after a judge they hired was disqualified from their divorce case.

The media outlet said the actors have been locked in court fight for custody of their children since Jolie filed for divorce in 2016.

A private judge, John Ouderkirk, made a ruling that granted Pitt joint custody in May this year.

But on Friday, a California court agreed with Jolie's appeal to remove the judge from the case.

In its ruling, the appeals court said Judge Ouderkirk did not disclose his business relationships with Pitt's lawyers.

This was an "ethical breach" that may cast doubt on "the judge's ability to be impartial", the court said.

The ruling means the legal battle over the couple's five minor children may have to be restarted before a new judge.

Private judges are often hired in the US to mediate disputes between divorcing celebrities for privacy reasons.

A spokesperson for Pitt said the ruling was based on a technical issue.

The "factual evidence" that led Judge Ouderkirk to make his custody ruling in May had not changed, the spokesperson said.

Jolie's representatives are yet to comment on Friday's ruling. But following May's custody ruling, a source told AFP news agency that Jolie believed that she and the children had been "denied a fair trial".

Jolie has criticised Judge Ouderkirk's decision not to allow their children to testify in custody hearings.

The custody dispute concerns the five youngest children of the pair; Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15 and 13-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.

The oldest, 19-year-old Maddox, is not subject to the custody decision.

A custody settlement Jolie and Pitt announced in 2018 appears to have fallen apart.

Affectionately known as "Brangelina" by fans, the Hollywood stars met on the set of action film Mr and Mrs Smith in 2004. They were together for 10 years before they wed in 2014.

But the pair separated in September 2016 after two years of marriage, with Jolie citing "irreconcilable differences".

Pitt was investigated for possible child abuse shortly before Jolie filed for divorce, but was later cleared of the allegations. The pair were declared legally single in 2019.

The marriage was Jolie's third, after actors Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller, while Pitt had wed once before to Friends star Jennifer Aniston.

levant

Source: BBC
Image source: Reuters-BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.