Brad Pitt wins joint custody of kids with ex-wife Angelina Jolie

Hollywood star Brad Pitt has been granted joint custody of his children with his former wife, actress Angelina Jolie, following a long court battle.

The 57-year-old actor and the 45-year-old actress are parents to Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14 and 12-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox. Maddox, 19, is not subject to the custody decision. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016 and the pair have since been engaged in custody battle. A private judge named John Ouderkirk was hired to oversee the case and ruled in Pitt's favour, reports bbc.com.

The ruling was a "tentative decision" and Jolie is continuing her legal fight, a source told pagesix.com.

Jolie had not objected to joint custody but there were "other issues of concern", it reported. The trial lasted for several months and there were a large number of witnesses, experts and therapists, another source said. The actress has criticised the judge's decision not to allow their children to testify in custody hearings.

She had cited "irreconcilable differences" when she filed to end the marriage, and the pair became embroiled in a child custody battle in the months following the announcement. Earlier, Pitt was investigated for possible child abuse after losing his temper in front of some of the children, but was later cleared of the allegations.

Popularly known as "Brangelina" by fans in their heydays together, the two actors had met on the sets of "Mr And Mrs Smith" in 2005.

It was Pitt's second marriage as he was previously married to "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston. It was Jolie's third after marriages with actors Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.