London 22 nd July 2010 PRESS RELEASE URGENT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie win legal action against the News of the World over false allegations that the couple were separating. The legal action brought by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie against the News of the World has today concluded in the High Court in London in the couples' favour. In a Statement read out this morning in the High Court of Justice in London before Mr. Justice Eady in Court 13 by the couples lawyer, the Court was told that the News of the World now acknowledged that the 2 articles it published in January 2010 about the state of the couples' relationship were false. The News of the World will be publishing a printed and on-line apology to the couple as well as paying them undisclosed damages and legal costs. Keith Schilling, the couples lawyer said after this morning s court hearing: Following the publication of the first article in the News of the World on 24 January 2010 the couples Los Angeles Litigation Attorneys, Lavely and Singer, wrote to the News of the World informing them that their article was false and fictional. The News of the World nevertheless republished the allegations a few days later, in the very next issue of their newspaper dated 31 January 2010. The News of the World s publication of these falsehoods spawned an array of false stories published all over the world. In consequence, when the News of the World failed to publicly retract the allegations and apologise for them - thereby leaving their readers in the dark as to the true position - the couple felt they had no alternative than to sue. Today s victory marks the end of the litigation brought by Brad and Angelina. - ENDS - enc: Statement in Open Court Press Release dated 8 February 2010 452305_4
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE QUEENS BENCH DIVISION Claim No.HQ10X00477 B E T W E E N:- (1) WILLIAM BRADLEY PITT (2) ANGELINA JOLIE Claimants -and - NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS LIMITED Defendant STATEMENT IN OPEN COURT SOLICITOR FOR THE CLAIMANTS My Lord, in this action for misuse of private information and breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 I appear on behalf of the Claimants, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The Claimants are internationally renowned actors and have a family of six young children. As well as their work in films, the Claimants are also known for their commitment to humanitarian causes and social issues across the world. The Defendant is the publisher of the News of the World, a newspaper with a large circulation and readership within the jurisdiction and which is published online at www.newsoftheworfd.co.uk.
On 24 January 2010 the News of the World published a front page article which continued on page 9 of its newspaper and online entitled ""PITIS ALL OVER'". The article stated that the Claimants had visited divorce lawyers in December 2009 to begin thrashing out a divorce deal; that an agreement had been concluded dividing assets of 205m and providing for custody and visitation rights in relation to their children; and that both of them had signed the agreement in January 2010 which made provision for their imminent separation. The Claimants Los Angeles litigation Attorneys, Lavely and Singer wrote to the Defendant informing them that these allegations were false. On 31 January 2010 the News of the World published another article headed "Brange leak war " which repeated the earlier allegations and stated that the Claimants had argued about who had leaked details of their marriage breakup to the press. The Claimants, through their English Solicitors, then requested the Defendant to publish an apology and retraction in respect of these allegations. When the Defendants failed to do so, the Claimants issued legal proceedings in this Court in respect of these articles. The Defendant, whose case was that they acted in good faith, now accepts that each of these allegations were false and intrusive and has agreed to publish an apology in the News of the World. In addition, the Defendants have agreed to pay the Claimants undisclosed damages and legal costs. It is the Claimants' intention to donate the net damages to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. In light of these circumstances, the Claimants consider that their rights have been vindicated and they are prepared not to proceed any further in their action against the Defendant. Accordingly, my Lord, all that remains is for me to ask for leave to withdraw the record.
chlfhings 4pm, Monday 8 February 2010, London ANGELINA JOLIE & BRAD PITT URGENT - PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have today commenced proceedings against News Group Newspapers Limited following the publication by the News of the World of false allegations about their relationship. The action comes after publication of the following false allegations in the News of the World on 24th January: that Angelina Jolie and/or Brad Pitt visited a divorce lawyer in December 2009 to begin thrashing out a deal; an agreement has been concluded between them dividing joint assets of 205m and providing for custody and visitation rights in relation to their children; both parties signed the agreement in January 2010; and the agreement is to make provision for the parties' separation, which has been agreed, and is to occur imminently. The publication of these false allegations is being treated as a serious Misuse of Private Information and accordingly a Claim Form has today been issued in the High Court of Justice in London. Sorrell Trope of Trope and Trope, identified in some media reports as the LA Divorce Lawyer representing the couple has confirmed, in writing, as follows: I have had no contact from.., Angelina Jo/ia and/or Brad Pitt. / have never met your...clients or had any involvement with either of them. The foregoing is true with respect to all other members of this firm" In addition the publication of these false allegations is a clear breach of paragraph I of the Press Complaints Commission Code of practice which provides that: i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures. fl DccJfti Lnioi-: WC 3HX... :........... = IctuR DX Number 892 ^,'5 Sqare 1) F /\ F S
chlfunas ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published. iii) The Press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact. iv) A publication must report fairly and accurately the outcome of an action for defamation to which it has been a party, unless an agreed settlement states otherwise, or an agreed statement is published." Keith Schilling of Schillings, the couple's London lawyers, said today: "The News of the World has failed to meet our clients' reasonable demands for a retraction of and apology for these false and intrusive allegations which have now been widely republished by mainstream news outlets. We have advised them to bring proceedings which they have now done" Note to Editors: The law recognizes that is irrelevant whether private information is true or false when deciding whether it is entitled to be protected from publication: "the question in a case of misuse of private information is whether the in formation is private not whether it is true or false. The truth or falsity of the in formation is an irrelevant inquiry in deciding whether the information is entitled to be protected... However in this case we can confirm unequivocally, and upon instructions, that the allegations published by the News of the World are false as well as intrusive. - END - 1 McKennitt v Ash [2006] EWCA Civ 1714 per Longmore, LJ at 86 &dfo:d qiarc, L10 WC1R 3HX :1: T00201 0 92.0Q (. nr1bir ii2 z')(-' 11' 'y F A R S