Image copyright AFP Image caption The couple were together for more than a decade but only married for two years

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have agreed to use a private judge to keep their divorce proceedings confidential.

The Hollywood stars released a joint statement saying they would keep all divorce documents and proceedings under seal in order to "preserve the privacy rights of their children and family".

It continues: "The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification."

Private judges have become more popular in the US in recent years.

They are most often used by wealthier clients in family law cases, civil cases and breach of contract disputes.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The couple were hugely popular with fans on the red carpet

They have the same authority as public judges but the main advantages are that personal information remains private, as meetings and hearings are held outside of the public court system, the process is often quicker and you can select your own judge and schedule court dates to suit your schedules.

Jolie cited "irreconcilable differences" when she filed to end the marriage on 19 September.

In November, court papers revealed Pitt was seeking joint custody of his six children in his split from Jolie. She had previously asked for full custody of all the children.

In the same month, an investigation into whether Pitt was abusive towards his son in September ended with no finding of wrongdoing. Social workers in Los Angeles had been examining claims Pitt hit his 15-year-old son Maddox on a private jet.

Jolie filed for divorce the day after the incident. They had been married for two years, but together for more than a decade.

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