Judge handling Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt divorce case told to step down

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, once one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples, separated in September 2016 after a more than 10-year romance and two-year marriage. Photo: Reuters

The judge handling the bitter divorce case between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie was ordered to step down on Friday after Jolie complained that he was not impartial.

An appeals court ruling in California said Judge John Ouderkirk should have disclosed his previous professional relationships with attorneys representing Pitt in the couple's protracted dispute over custody of their children.