SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to consider Brad Pitt's appeal of a court ruling that disqualified the judge in his custody battle with Angelina Jolie.

The court denied a review of a June appeals court decision that said the private judge hearing the case should be disqualified for failing to sufficiently disclose his business relationships with Pitt's attorneys.

What You Need To Know

  • The California Supreme Court has refused to consider Brad Pitt’s appeal of a court ruling that disqualified the judge in his custody battle with Angelina Jolie

  • The court denied a review of a June appeals court decision that said the private judge hearing the case should be disqualified

  • The private judge failed to sufficiently disclose his business relationships with Pitt’s attorneys

  • The judge already ruled Pitt and Jolie divorced, but he separated the issue of custody of their five minor children

The state Supreme Court's decision finalizes that ruling. It means the fight over the couple's five minor children — which was nearing an end — could just be getting started.

Emails seeking comment from attorneys for Pitt and Jolie weren't immediately returned.

Jolie, 46, and Pitt, 57, were among Hollywood's most prominent couples for 12 years. A former Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, John Ouderkirk, officiated at their 2014 wedding, then was hired to oversee their divorce when Jolie filed to dissolve the marriage in 2016.

He ruled the couple divorced in 2019, but he separated the child custody issues. 

Jolie and Pitt have six children: 20-year-old Maddox, 17-year-old Pax, 16-year-old Zahara, 15-year-old Shiloh, 13-year-old Vivienne and 13-year-old Knox. Only the five minors are subject to custody decisions.