Where it was once ‘Team Aniston’ versus ‘Team Jolie’, for nearly eight years now it has been ‘Team Jolie’ versus ‘Team Pitt’ – at least in court. Last week, Brad Pitt scored a legal win in his and Angelina Jolie’s long-term battle over the rightful ownership of their French winery, Chateau Miraval, which is holding up their now eight-year-long divorce.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favour of the case heading to trial and all of Pitt’s remaining claims against Jolie have been allowed to proceed. The judge reportedly upheld that there was ‘an implied contract regarding shares in the company’, and Pitt’s outstanding claims were valid on two counts of interference.

From Jolie’s perspective, this means she may have to wait until 2026 to take the stand in what has already been an emotionally and financially draining and highly publicised legal battle.

This week, however, the tables have turned again. A judge has ruled that Pitt must disclose documents that Jolie’s lawyer claims will prove ‘communications concerning abuse, lies to authorities, and years of cover up’ on Pitt’s part.

This includes emails, texts and other written communications, but nothing between Pitt and his attorneys or therapists. Pitt’s team reportedly sought for Jolie’s motion to be denied, calling the request ‘wide ranging and intrusive’ as well as a ‘sensationalist fishing expedition’.

Jolie’s lawyer, Paul Murphy, thinks otherwise. He has described the documents as ‘crucial evidence’ that Pitt has ‘fought for years to hide’.

‘His actions harmed Angelina and their children and are central to this case. But I want to again emphasise that Angelina never wanted any of this. She never pressed charges, she left all their properties, and she is the one who tried to sell him the business in the first place.

‘To this day, Mr. Pitt has never been held accountable for his actions and has at all times controlled Miraval and the winery, yet he still demands more. She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits.

‘If he does not,’ Murphy concluded, ‘Angelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably false.’ Pitt’s team have not yet responded to the statement.

So what exactly is the sticking point here? For Pitt, it is the rightful ownership of a 50% stake of Chateau Miraval, which comprises of a winery, a 35-room chateau, vineyards and several olive groves. It is estimated to be worth more than $160 million. When the couple bought the land in 2008, Pitt owned 60% and Jolie owned 40%. After their wedding in 2014, Pitt gave Jolie 10% as a wedding gift so that they had equal shares. After their separation, Jolie sold her shares to Russian vodka magnate Yuri Shefler. It is the validity of this sale that is holding up the divorce.

For Jolie, while her lawyer has reinstated that she would rather leave the entire saga behind her, she previously made serious claims of abuse which are likely to resurface following the judge’s latest ruling.

Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 days after their family flew from France to LA on a private plane. The Maria actress alleges that Pitt became abusive towards her in front of their six children while he was drunk on the flight. Her lawyer has since claimed Pitt’s ‘history of physical abuse of Jolie started well before’ the plane incident. Pitt has denied all allegations of abuse and was cleared of charges following a federal investigation.

A date for the trial has not yet been set, but there is a lot at stake. Jolie must uphold her claims that she attempted to sell her shares to Pitt first and only refused after he allegedly insisted she sign an $8.5 million non-disclosure agreement that would prevent her from speaking out against ‘years of abuse’. Pitt’s documentation, then, has a lot to answer for.

While Pitt must prove that Jolie sold her shares without his approval and that they agreed to never do so without the other’s consent. He must also refute her claims that he refused to buy her interests until she signed an NDA.

His relationship with their six children – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox – also hangs in the balance. All of whom have, publicly at least, stood by their mother. Four of them have even dropped ‘Pitt’ from their surnames. While they have been accompanying Jolie on the press run for her latest film, Maria, for which she is tipped to receive an Oscar nomination. Pitt is reportedly somewhat estranged from his children.

The fact the case is going to trial might be considered a win for Pitt – albeit a huge loss for the family – but sources say the latest development is ‘an enormous win’ for Jolie.

‘This is, by far, the most impactful ruling in the case to date,’ a source told Us, ‘all of this evidence is now fair game in discovery.’ It seems that while both sides are weary and drained, Jolie and Pitt’s teams remain full of resolve. Now in their ninth year of legal tumult, all eyes will be on the Miraval case when it finally reaches court.