By now, most people in Utah are aware that Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt. Recently, allegations of child abuse arose against Pitt, and a temporary child custody agreement was reached. As part of that agreement, Jolie was given sole custody of the couple’s six children.
Furthermore, Pitt voluntarily agreed to undergo random alcohol and drug testing, and his first tests came back negative. The couple will attend both individual and family counseling (with the children), and a therapist will supervise at least Pitt’s first visitation with the children. When the agreement was made, Pitt was already under investigation for an incident that allegedly occurred on board a private jet on Sept. 14.
The agreement provides Jolie with the peace of mind that the children are safe as they move through this process. However, she is not the only one who benefits from the temporary agreement. The faster that the allegations are dealt with and the requirements of the agreement are met, the faster that this matter can be put to rest. Fighting the situation would more than likely only prolong it and cause everyone involved more harm than good. Plus, the media attention on the family right now would only increase.
Most Utah residents do not have to worry about the media, but they might also benefit from dealing with their custody issues by cooperating with each other — especially if there are allegations of abuse. In these cases, temporary child custody orders are not necessarily uncommon and can include similar provisions to those being observed by Jolie and Pitt. Ultimately, it is the best interests of the children that should control how the proceedings are handled.
Source: usmagazine.com, “Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie’s Temporary Custody Agreement: Divorce Attorney Explains“, Megan French and Alissa Shulman, Sept. 30, 2016