Pitt, Jolie keep a lid on it

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who have been trading bitter custody salvos in court since she filed for divorce Sept. 19, are now working with a private judge and will present a “united front” from here on out, they said in their first joint statement since the split.

“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,” they said Monday night in a joint statement confirmed by The Times.

When Jolie filed for divorce, she asked for full physical and joint legal custody of their six children. Pitt asked for joint physical and legal custody in his response.

“The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification,” the couple’s statement continued.

Jolie’s filing came as “a complete shock” to Pitt, a source close to the couple told People in September.

The FBI was informed of “a child welfare” incident involving Pitt while the family was flying on a private jet from France to L.A. Though the incident was not confirmed by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, a source familiar with the inquiry said there was no finding of abuse by Pitt.

The FBI closed its review of the situation in November, with no charges filed.