Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt's Divorce to be Private Affair

LOS ANGELES, CA — Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, whose much-publicized divorce battle has grabbed headlines since September, have decided to employ a private judge to handle their case and reach a resolution out of the public eye.

In a joint statement released to People magazine Monday night, the couple said they have agreed to present a "united front" to ensure the protection of their children.

"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," according to the statement. "The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification."

The couple's split has led to some sensational headlines in recent months as they sparred over custody of their six children. Jolie initially requested full physical custody of the children, while Pitt demanded joint physical custody.

The couple eventually reached a temporary custody agreement, which -- according to a filing by Jolie's attorneys -- has her maintaining primary custody and Pitt allowed monitored visits at the discretion of a psychologist. The papers also note that Pitt is subject to drug and alcohol testing.

Pitt's attorneys recently filed documents asking for the court records to be sealed, suggesting that Jolie's attorneys were risking the children's privacy with their filings while trying to make Pitt look bad.

The 41-year-old Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt, 53, on Sept. 19. The pair had been together since 2004, but weren't married until August 2014. The couple have six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne.

The filing came shortly after an alleged altercation between Pitt and Maddox aboard a private plane bound for Los Angeles from Europe.

The FBI and Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services both cleared Pitt in November of allegations he physically abused the boy.

— City News Service, photo credit: Chrisa Hickey/Flickr