Things are finally starting to look up for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie . After months of nasty fighting, the two finally agreed to play nice in the midst of their ugly divorce. Will their truce last, or will Jolie’s insistence that Pitt is the bad guy tear things apart?
A divorce attorney told Hollywood Life that Jolie’s erratic behavior could have been the catalyst for their recent turnaround. The couple just agreed to keep their divorce private and seal sensitive information away from the public eye.
“Angelina is behaving in an unstable manner and changing her mind again. It is possible that Brad got her to rethink her plan by revealing some unpleasant information about her that Angelina doesn’t want released,” lawyer David Pisarra explained. “However, it is more likely Angelina’s lawyers talked her into a resolution that will be quicker, more private for her and is actually in the best interests of the children.”
In order to keep the divorce sealed, Pitt and Jolie are hiring a private judge to handle any issue that may arise. Pisarra noted that this route is a lot more expensive than a traditional divorce but is an effective way to get the matter settled in a peaceful way.
According to the International Business Times , Pitt and Jolie released a joint statement on their divorce this week. The statement marked the first time the couple said anything public about their split since Jolie filed for divorce in September. It also marked a huge turnaround following months of mudslinging from both sides.
“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 statement read. “The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”
While it is good to see Jolie and Pitt finally agreeing to something, it also means that further details about their divorce will not be made public. It should also stop Jolie from leaking any more stories about Pitt, but only if the actor’s lawyers placed penalties in the agreement.
Prior to the joint statement, TMZ reports that Jolie filed a request that slammed Brad Pitt for using the kids for his own interests. The actress claims that Pitt asked to keep things private only because he didn’t want his dark past being revealed to the world.
“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 allegations of abuse,” the filing explained.
Shortly after Jolie filed for divorce, Pitt came under fire for an incident involving his oldest son, Maddox. The actor reportedly abused Maddox on a private plane and was subsequently placed under investigation. Although he was eventually clear of the charges, the rumors hurt his bid for joint custody.
In fact, People is reporting that Pitt has only been able to visit the kids once a week since the breakup. The Allied star is allowed five hours a week with his six children, though the visits are supervised by a specialized therapist.
“The frequency and duration of these visits have been determined by the minor children’s therapist, who was put in place jointly by parties immediately after the Sept. 14 [plane] incident,” court records revealed. “[Pitt]’s visits may increase at any time based on the therapists’ evaluation of each child’s feelings and progress.”
Tell us! Whose side are you on – Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie? Let us know in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]