Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt agree to settle divorce in private

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were married for two years and together for 12 years. Photograph: Kevin Winter/AFP/Getty Images

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached an agreement to handle their divorce in a private forum and will work together to reunify their family, the actors announced in a joint statement.

The statement released on Monday said that they will keep future details of their divorce confidential by using a private judge.

“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,” their statement read.

“The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”

The statement is the first joint comment from the actors on their divorce since Jolie filed to end their marriage in September.

Custody of their six children has been the primary issue in the divorce, with Jolie initially seeking sole physical custody. California law favours joint custody in divorce cases, although final arrangements are often agreed to by parents and formalised in a written agreement.

Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and together for 12 years after becoming close while filming 2005’s Mr & Mrs Smith.

Their divorce, and every filing in it, has attracted international attention. Last month, Pitt sought to seal custody records in the case, and a hearing had been scheduled for next week on the issue.

Both actors have kept a relatively low profile since their breakup was announced, although Pitt made an appearance onstage at Sunday’s Golden Globes to spirited applause.

Private judges are often used in high-profile divorce cases, keeping many details of a breakup out of the public eye while a final judgment is negotiated.

the guardian