14 DAY TRIAL // Tom Cruise has started legal action against Bauer Media after its publications ran a story claiming he had abandoned daughter Suri right after the divorce from Katie Holmes. He’s asking for $50 million (€36.7 million) in damages and, if the case goes to trial, Katie might have to dish details of the marriage on the stand.
So far, Katie has not said a word about the reasons why she divorced the actor, not even when speculation that she had done it to escape from the clutches of the Church of Scientology, with which Cruise is associated, was ripe.
That’s partly because she wanted a fresh start and she put all that behind her, but the most important reason is that she signed a non-disclosure agreement that literally prevents her from speaking to anyone about her relationship with Cruise.
According to a new report in the Daily Mail, she might have to do that if the case goes to trial because she will have to testify. And the juicy details that might come out then should be manna for the tabloids.
“Katie has been dignified, she has got her life back together following her divorce from Tom and is devoted to Suri, who's the only person who matters to her. But if this case comes to court, Katie could be deposed and this means she could have to reveal details about her marriage – but to be honest, this is her chance to speak openly and she'll be happy to do it,” an insider says.
Attorneys for Bauer Media believe that the case won’t be going to trial because the judge will see through Cruise’s flimsy case. Oppositely, the actor’s legal representation thinks the contrary will happen and, more importantly, that he will be awarded “enormous damages” when the case goes before the jury.
Cruise’s attorney is not scared of what Katie might say on the stand, it seems. He also insists that Cruise “never abandoned” Suri.
“[He’ll be] seeing her a lot. He loves his child. He never abandoned her [Suri]. After the divorce, he talked to her every day and sometimes twice a day because he was very concerned,” the lawyer says for E! News.