Now ten days after Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, the Hollywood A-listers are deep in private negotiations.
The major issue that will be the most difficult to resolve in the Brangelina divorce will be the custody of their six children. While Angelina requested sole physical custody in the divorce papers, Brad Pitt plans to fight for joint physical custody of their kids: Maddox (15), Pax (12), Zahara (11), Shiloh (10), and the twins Knox and Vivienne (8).
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According to People, whatever custody arrangement the couple agrees upon must be signed off on by a judge to make sure the best interest of the children is the priority.
Family law specialist Stephanie Blum of Reuben Raucher & Blum stated, “If Angelina and Brad reach an agreement on custody, the judge assigned to the case will be delighted that these parents were able to work out something that they can live with and that makes sense for the family.”
Legal experts claim that Maleficent actress Angelina Jolie will be hard-pressed to gain sole physical custody of the children.
L.A. family law attorney Atousa Sei explained, “It is extremely difficult to be granted sole custody in a California court, absent some egregious behavior that directly impacts the best interest of the minor children.”
Atousa Sei continued, “In my experience, courts [and judges] lean more towards joint physical custody over sole physical custody. They want to see both parents involved in the children’s lives and want both parents to have frequent and continuing contact with the children.”
In the event that the custody of the children can’t be resolved behind closed doors, the parent seeking sole physical custody would need to provide significant evidence that it would be problematic for the other parent to care for the children.
“If Angelina can prove to the court that she is the parent that has historically been the caretaker of the children and that allowing Brad to share the children with Angelina on an equal basis would actually not be in the best interest of the children, she will have a good shot at being awarded physical custody of the children,” Sei stated. “Her allegations must not only be substantiated by evidence, but they also need to be linked to the best interest of the children. By way of example, if Brad got angry in front of the children, that is very different than if he only got angry with Angelina behind closed doors.”
Do you think Angelina Jolie should be awarded sole physical custody of the children like she has requested?
[H/T People]
