The divorce between Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise was settled well before Hollywood had enough time to speculate how the settlement would play out. Now, a new report says that Holmes anticipated a messy split from Cruise. The report, published in the Los Angeles Times, said that Holmes went to extreme measures to make sure that she would be able to file for divorce from her husband. Unidentified sources said that Holmes talked with attorneys using a disposable cellphone that was given to her by a friend so Cruise would not find out about the discussions.
Because she used disposable cellphones, Holmes was able to take Cruise and his representatives by surprise when she filed for divorce after just five years of marriage. It was also reported that Holmes hired three different law firms in three states to represent her in the divorce proceedings. The decision Holmes made to divorce Cruise did not come easily but when she realized “she no longer had the life she wanted, in terms of her career, her way of life, everything,” Holmes knew that she needed to make a major change in her life.
Holmes originally went to her father Martin, a lawyer, for advice when she knew she had to change her life. Martin aided his daughter in leaving her marriage behind. This included the idea of using disposable cellphones and even setting her up in a brand new Manhattan apartment. The measures used by Holmes took Cruise by surprise because he was absolutely blindsided by the news. Holmes informed Cruise about the divorce during a phone call to her husband. Because Holmes used secret and quick methods, she was able to get Cruise’s lawyers to settle the issue in just under two weeks after she filed. Holmes was also able to acquire primary custody of the couple’s daughter, Suri, which is the thing she wanted most out of the divorce. Cruise has visitation rights in the divorce agreement but Holmes is allowed to choose how Suri will be educated and which religion she will be raised in. Cruise is a member of Scientology and Holmes was raised Roman Catholic.
“We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other’s roles as parents,” the couple said in a statement.
The couple had a prenuptial agreement in place that outlined the distribution of the couple’s assets, which made the divorce settlement proceedings much easier.