Brad Pitt, 53, and estranged wife Angelina Jolie, 41, have released their first joint statement since the By the Sea actress filled to end their marriage in September 2016.
Their statement, released on Monday night local time to the Associated Press, revealed that they have reached an agreement to keep future details of their divorce confidential by using a private judge.
According to the statement, “The parties and their counsel have signed agreements to preserve the privacy rights of their children and family by keeping all court documents confidential and engaging a private judge to make any necessary legal decisions and to facilitate the expeditious resolution of any remaining issues.”
“The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”
The statement comes one month after Pitt was denied an emergency hearing to keep the legal battle over their six children – Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne – private, in an attempt to “avoid subjecting them to the negative impact of the intense media coverage and worldwide public scrutiny.”
The Jolie-Pitt brood during happier times.
During this time, the Allied actor accused his estranged wife, Angelina, of violating their children’s privacy by releasing details to the media through public court filings.
Brad wrote, “[Jolie] exposed the children by making public the names of their therapists and other mental health professionals.”
He added that Angelina has “no self-regulating mechanism to preclude sensitive information from being placed in the public record, or she has other motives.”
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie shattered the world’s perception of true love when they announced their split after 12 years together.
After a lengthy battle, the mother-of-six finally conceded to allow documents to be sealed for the benefit of their children but strongly denies his claims that she freely publicised sensitive information – saying that Brad only made such accusations because he’s “terrified that the public will learn the truth.”
According to TMZ, Jolie’s camp filied legal documents claming that Pitt’s request was merely an effort to “deflect from [his] own role in the media storm which has engulfed the parties’ children.”
Angelina’s lawyer, Laura Wasser, added: “There is little doubt that [Brad] would prefer to keep the entire case private, particularly given the detailed investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dept. of Children and Family Services into allegation of abuse.”
WATCH: Brad Pitt on fatherhood. Post continues after the video…
In November, the Academy Award-winning actress released a statement confirming that her six children with Brad would continue to live with her while Brad would only be granted “therapeutic visits.”
Speaking with PEOPLE magazine, Angelina’s rep said, “We can confirm that childcare professionals have encouraged a legal agreement accepted and signed by both sides over a week ago.”
“In accordance with this agreement, the six children will stay in their mother’s custody, and the children will continue therapeutic visits with their father. This has been determined by childcare professionals to be in the children’s best interest.”
Angelina reportedly filed for divorce following a fight aboard a private jet between Brad and their eldest child, Maddox.
The statement continued: “We are not in a position to discuss the details. We hope now that it is clear that the events which led to the dissolution filing involved minor children and their wellbeing, there will be understanding of the sensitivity of the family situation.”
“We believe that all sides are committed to healing the family and ask for your consideration during this difficult time.”
According to the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, therapeutic visits “are designed to help parents who cannot have unsupervised access to their children due to a history of child physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, or mental illness.”
Insiders have been quick to speculate that this set-up mightn’t prove to be a long term fix.
