Going forward, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will handle their divorce in a private forum.
The actors released a joint statement Monday night—their first since Jolie filed for divorce in September. "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 former power couple's statement read (via People magazine). "The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification."
In December, a judge denied Pitt's request to seal documents in his custody battle. Pitt, 53, and Jolie, 41, went on to make harsh claims about each other in a series of court filings. In one filing, Pitt said he was "extremely concerned" that if the records were not sealed, his kids' privacy rights would be damaged. His lawyers claimed Jolie "exposed the children by making public the names of their therapists and other mental health professionals." Her lawyers argued his filing was a "thinly-veiled attempt to shield himself, rather than the children, from the public view."
The exes have since agreed to seal sensitive records relating to Maddox Jolie-Pitt, 15, Pax Jolie-Pitt, 13, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, 11, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, 10, Knox Jolie-Pitt, 8, and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, 8.
Pitt and Jolie currently have a voluntary temporary custody agreement in place, which grants him supervised visitation rights; the Maleficent actress has primary physical custody of the kids.
It's been a difficult few months for Pitt and Jolie, who wed at Château Miraval in 2014. After Jolie filed for divorce, federal and local authorities investigated allegations that the actor was abusive toward his eldest son on a private flight. Pitt, however, was cleared of any wrongdoing. Their lawyers are due back in court Jan. 17, if the exes don't come to an agreement in advance.
While Jolie has eschewed the spotlight, Pitt fulfilled his obligation to promote the WWII spy drama Allied throughout the month of November. Most recently, the actor made a surprise appearance at the 2017 Golden Globes on behalf of the movie Moonlight, which he produced.