Did Katie Holmes File for Divorce from Tom Cruise in New York to Protect Her Privacy?

Many people have speculated that Katie Holmes filed for divorce from Tom Cruise in New York because New York law strongly favors awarding sole custody as opposed to joint custody.  It is believed that, in order to gain sole custody of their daughter Suri Cruise, Holmes opted to file for divorce in New York.  Recently though, another theory has been posited.

Manhattan matrimonial attorney, Raoul Felder believes that Holmes chose New York because New York seals all court filings in divorce cases, thereby making those documents unavailable to the public.  California, where Cruise and Holmes had spent the majority of their marriage, makes all filings available to the public.  As a result, if Holmes had filed in California, documents including financial disclosure and the parties’ recent settlement agreement would easily be attainable by the public and the media.   Personal matters such as the arrangements for custody and visitation of Suri would quickly become a matter of public record.

The tabloids continue to speculate as to the terms of the Holmes – Cruise settlement agreement, with many estimating that under the stipulation, Cruise is obligated to pay $10 million in child support for Suri.  Although the conjecture will continue, it is unlikely that the public will be privy to the actual terms.