Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have agreed to handle their divorce privately

A statement obtained by PEOPLE magazine read: "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."

Brad and Angelina - who are parents to Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, eight - are eager to ensure that their much-discussed separation does not have a damaging impact on their children.

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

In recent weeks, Brad and Angelina - who filed for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences - have clashed in filings in Los Angeles Superior Court.

However, both parties recently agreed to seal records concerning their children.

Meanwhile, news of Brad and Angelina's agreement comes after the 53-year-old actor made a surprise appearance at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday (09.01.17).

The 'Allied' actor has stayed largely out of the public eye since splitting from Angelina and was greeted with huge cheers when he presented an introduction package for Best Motion Picture - Drama nominee - and eventual winner - 'Moonlight', which was produced by his own company Plan B.

He said of the Barry Jenkins-directed movie: "It's born of the courage of a group of actors willing to strip to their souls and express their humanism inside mistake and misstep and misdeed.

"It is Barry Jenkins profound belief that we all stand at the threshold of change and forgiveness where we only grant acceptance and love to ourselves."