Angelina Jolie; Brad Pitt.Photo: Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty; Jason Kempin/Getty
Angelina Jolieis hitting back at exBrad Pittafter he claimed she made recent court filings over child support in an “effort to manipulate the media.”
The actress’ lawyer, Samantha Bley DeJean, said in a statement to PEOPLE Jolie’s court filing “was both legally appropriate and factually accurate in all respects.”
Jolie indicated in a court filing Tuesday that Pitt has not beenpaying “meaningful” child supportduring their separation. The actor responded with his own court filing stating he had paid over $1.3 million to provide for the actress and their six children, as well as aloan of $8 millionto help her purchase her current home.
Bley DeJean, who filed Jolie’s court papers on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, claimed the actor was “asked to assist in the expense of a new home for Angelina” and their six children but “instead he loaned Angelina money, for which he is charging her interest on a payment plan.”
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TheMaleficent 2’s attorney said the actress will “honor that loan,” but said, “A loan is not, however, child support and to represent it as such is misleading and inaccurate.”
According to her attorney, Jolie “is asking Brad to pay 50% of the children’s expenses,” but that the actor “has not” paid his share.
“Angelina has had to shoulder the majority of those without his contribution for the past two years,” Bley DeJean said. “Child support is not optional in California.”
“Typically a father of means would pay these expenses voluntarily without the need for a request or court order. We are hopeful that this can be resolved without further delay or posturing,” she continued.
Euan Cherry/WENN
The Oscar-winning actress said in her filing she intends to seek out “retroactive child support” from her ex. She also asks the court to “bifurcate” their marital status — a process that would mean they could dissolve the marriage and go back to being single before resolving other issues in the divorce.
A spokesperson for Jolie told PEOPLE that the aim the filing “is to provide closure to the marriagein a way that clears a path toward the next stage of their lives and allows her and Brad to recommit as devoted co-parents to their children.”
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Pitt’s lawyer, Lance Spiegel, slammed the actress’ filing on Wednesday as “unnecessary” and “a thinly-veiled effort to manipulate media coverage.”
Spiegel’s filing affirmed theactor “loaned” Jolie$8 million to help her purchase her current home and has contributed over $1.3 million “in bills for the benefit of [Jolie] and the minor children.”
Jolie, 43, and Pitt, 53,met in 2003andwed in 2014beforethey separated in Sept. 2016citingirreconcilable differences. Custody of their six children — Maddox, 16, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, and 10-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox — has been an ongoing issue.
source: people.com
