Brad Pitt sought to seal details about child custody arrangements in his pending divorce from Angelina Jolie but a judge rejected his bid at an emergency hearing Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Superior Court Richard Burdge Jr. denied Pitt's request in a brief written order that said Pitt's filing did not meet the requirements for sealing details at this time. Pitt sought an emergency hearing to keep documents covering his dispute with Jolie over the custody of their six children under wraps, but Burdge declined to hear the petition on an expedited basis.

Pitt's motion came after Jolie's lawyers filed documents Friday laying out in writing the temporary, voluntary custody agreement the two had signed in October. Under the agreement, Jolie has physical custody of the children at a rented house in Malibu and Pitt visits periodically under the guidance of a therapist.

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Peter Walzer, a Los Angeles divorce attorney who has handled celeb divorces, said the purpose of such a filing would be to get a court order in case either party wants to change the custody agreement.

"If it's just an agreement it’s not enforceable without a court order," Walzer says. "Monitored visitation is a super-serious deal and it needs to be part of the court record and (under) court supervision and enforcement in case there is a violation (of the agreement)."

But the move also served to put the children in the spotlight again. A source familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly told USA TODAY that Jolie's filing would lead to more unnecessary exposure for the children.

Pitt intends to seek temporary custody orders soon, and his filing states that he wanted custody-related documents sealed to protect the children.

"I am extremely concerned that if court records regarding custody are not sealed, information contained therein will cause irreparable damage to our children's privacy rights," Pitt wrote in a sworn declaration filed Wednesday.

Pitt's attorney Gary Fishbein declined comment after the hearing.

Jolie's attorney Laura Wasser told the Associated Press the actress does not oppose sealing details of the pair's custody arrangements, but Pitt's attorneys did not consult with them before filing the motion Wednesday.

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In a shock to Hollywood, Jolie filed for divorce — citing "the health of the family" in a statement — in September, setting off a nasty legal and public-relations battle in which anonymous sources on both sides traded disparaging details about the other.

In the latest rumor, Jolie's team denied reports that she planned to move to London with the children to take a job with the United Nations. A representative for Jolie who was not authorized to speak publicly said Jolie is looking for another house in Los Angeles so the children can continue their joint therapy with Pitt.

Jolie filed her divorce petition after an encounter on a private plane ferrying the family from France to the USA in September. Pitt was accused of being abusive toward his 15-year-old son Maddox during the flight, but investigations by child welfare officials and the FBI were closed with no charges filed against the actor.

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Custody of the kids remains the primary issue in the divorce: She wants sole custody and Pitt wants joint custody. A final agreement will be part of the couple's divorce judgment when it is entered.

California law favors joint custody in the absence of any evidence of abuse, although details about custody arrangements are rarely made public in celebrity divorce cases.

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

Contributing: The Associated Press