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Court threatens Angelina Jolie, says she must allow children to see Brad Pitt, reports say

According to The Blast, which was first to report the new court order, a judge in Jolie and Pitt's divorce case has determined that their six children's lack of 'a relationship with their father is harmful to them.'
According to reports, Angelina Jolie has been warned by the courts she must encourage her six children to forge relationships with their father, Brad Pitt. (Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images, Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)

If Angelina Jolie doesn't start encouraging her children to forge relationships with her ex, Brad Pitt, she could be in danger of losing custody, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

According to The Blast, which was first to report the new court order, a judge in Jolie and Pitt's divorce case has determined that their six children's lack of “a relationship with their father is harmful to them,” and says “it is critical that each of them have a healthy and strong relationship with their father and mother.”

Us Weekly confirmed the accuracy of the documents.

The judge further ordered Jolie to arrange a phone call with the kids and their doctors to explain to the children that “the court has determined that each of them are safe with their father.”

Pitt was cleared of allegations of child abuse by the FBI and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in November 2016.

A rep for Pitt had no comment. Jolie's reps did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The court laid out specific dates and hours that Jolie, 43, must make her younger children available to their father, 54, this summer: both in London, where she is shooting "Maleficent 2," and in Los Angeles.

There is one exception: The court is allowing their eldest, Maddox, 16, to decide how much time he wants to spend with his father.

Jolie must also provide Pitt with the cellphone number of each child, and allow him to call at will, according to the reports. She is not allowed to monitor their texts.

Court papers lay out an ominous warning if Jolie does not comply.

“If the minor children remain closed down to their father and depending on the circumstances surrounding this condition, it may result in a reduction of the time they spend with (Jolie) and may result in the Court ordering primary physical custody to (Pitt),” the documents state, according to the reports.

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in September 2016, claiming the separation was "for the health of the family."

The famous couple battled publicly – always through their reps – for months over custody following Jolie's filing. But Jolie and Pitt seemed to bury the hatchet in January 2017, releasing a joint statement saying they had agreed to handle their divorce in a private forum and would work together to reunify their family.

Aside from Maddox, the children are Pax, 14; Zahara, 13; Shiloh, 12; and 9-year old twins Vivienne and Knox.

California law favors joint custody in divorce cases, although final arrangements are often agreed to by parents and formalized in a written agreement.

Contributing: Maria Puente, The Associated Press

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