Jolie, Pitt to use private judge in divorce

Actress Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt, one of Hollywood’s most glamorous and powerful couples, will use a private judge to keep their divorce out of the view of the public, the couple said in a statement to CNN on Monday.

Jolie and Pitt reached an agreement to keep all divorce documents and proceedings under seal in order to “preserve the privacy rights of their children and family,” the couple said in a joint statement.

Attorneys for Jolie and Pitt were not immediately available for comment to Reuters.

The Oscar-winning actress filed for divorce in September in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences, court documents showed. The split came suddenly, following an incident on a private plane in which Pitt was reported to have lost his temper in front of one or more of their six children.

Jolie sought full physical custody of the couple’s children, with visitation rights for Pitt, but did not seek spousal support. Jolie cited their separation date as Sept. 15.

Jolie and Pitt, known collectively as “Brangelina,” were one of the entertainment world’s most visible couples, thanks to their good looks, successful films and activism. They married in 2014 after a decade together.

In November, Pitt was cleared of child abuse allegations and applied for shared custody of his children.

The joint statement comes a month after a judge denied Pitt an emergency hearing in which he sought to have all documents and proceedings regarding the divorce sealed, according to CNN.