Cruise-Holmes Divorce Could Get Nasty

Get ready for a nasty custody battle: Katie Holmes filed for divorce in New York, presumably to up her chances of getting sole custody of daughter Suri, but Tom Cruise is responding with dueling divorce papers in California seeking joint custody.

He will also file to halt the New York divorce filing because, he claims, “Katie doesn’t meet the residency requirements to file in New York … both live full time in California,” a source tells Radar. “There is absolutely no way that he is going let Katie have sole custody. The lines are being drawn.” Radar notes that New York law appears to side with Cruise on residency requirements.

Meanwhile:

• Cruise’s lawyer (the same one who represented him when he divorced Nicole Kidman, Radar notes) told theLos Angeles Times Cruise is “not a particularly contentious person” and that he hopes the divorce won’t be “a contentious matter.”
• A lawyer for the Church of Scientology denied allegations that it was following Holmes to TMZ, whichalso has more details on what was behind Holmes’ decision: Sources say she was afraid Cruise would ship Suri off to Sea Organization, a boot-camp-like place where the highest levels of the religion are taught. (Another source tells Radar, “Tom will move Heaven and Earth to ensure Suri stays a Scientologist.”)
• A source tells People Cruise “had no idea this was coming” and is “devastated and heartbroken,” while another source tells Us that since deciding on the divorce, Holmes has “been happy—like she’s been set free.” Holmes had secretly rented her own apartment in New York, and her lawyer father has been advising her.

Rupert Murdoch has also chimed in on the divorce, calling Scientology “evil”.