On December 21, Brad, 53, made an emergency request to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to keep the legal battle over their six children – Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne – private.
During this time the Allied actor accused his estranged wife, Angelina, of violating their children’s privacy by releasing details to the media through public court filings.
In the request Brad wrote, “[Jolie] exposed the children by making public the names of their therapists and other mental health professionals.”
He added that Angelina has “no self-regulating mechanism to preclude sensitive information from being placed in the public record, or she has other motives.”
After a lengthy battle, the mother-of-six has finally conceded – she will allow documents to be sealed for the benefit of their children but strongly denies his claims that she freely publicised sensitive information.
The Pitt-Jolie brood during happier times.
According to TMZ, the latest legal documents filed by Angelina’s lawyer state that Brad filed his request to seal the goings-on of the couple’s custody case only in an effort to “deflect from [his] own role in the media storm which has engulfed the parties’ children.”
“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 allegation of abuse,” state the court documents.
The pair were married in August 2014 but began dating in the years prior.
Speaking with People, a source close to the drama has revealed that while Brad may not have been charged following allegations he was abusive towards son Maddox on the family’s private plane on Sept. 14, that doesn’t mean that his actions haven’t had a damaging effect on the children.
The source said, “They keep pointing to him being cleared. While his behavior didn’t amount to anything criminal, that doesn’t mean he didn’t do anything wrong.”
“The kids are traumatised. The mom [sic] has been protecting the kids by not revealing what really happened on that plane. Her interest since the outset hasn’t changed: to protect the health and safety of the kids.”
After news of Bragelina’s split hit the media, a source close to Brad said, “He can’t believe this is what his life has become, and he’s in bad shape, but the kids are the only thing he’s hanging onto.”
In November, Academy Award winning actress, Angelina, released a statement, confirming that her six children with Brad would continue to live with her while Brad would only be granted “therapeutic visits.”
“We can confirm that childcare professionals have encouraged a legal agreement accepted and signed by both sides over a week ago.”
“In accordance with this agreement, the six children will stay in their mother’s custody, and the children will continue therapeutic visits with their father. This has been determined by childcare professionals to be in the children’s best interest,” her rep told People.
WATCH: Brad Pitt on fatherhood. Post continues after the video…
The statement continued: “We are not in a position to discuss the details. We hope now that it is clear that the events which led to the dissolution filing involved minor children and their wellbeing, there will be understanding of the sensitivity of the family situation.”
“We believe that all sides are committed to healing the family and ask for your consideration during this difficult time.”
Angelina reportedly filed for divorce following a fight aboard a private jet between Brad and their eldest child, Maddox.
According to the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, therapeutic visits “are designed to help parents who cannot have unsupervised access to their children due to a history of child physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, or mental illness.”
Insiders have been quick to speculate that this set-up won’t be permanent.
