NW, Mon 08 Oct 2001, p12
The gloves come off Things get nasty as Tom and Nicole's custody battle begins
Nicole Kidman is preparing for a bitter court showdown with Tom Cruise this week, in a bid to bring her children home to Australia. The couple will come face to face at the Los Angeles Superior Court on October 4 to fight over the last bitter details of their divorce. And if Nicole gets her way, Conor and Isabella coud soon be back at school in Australia. In court, the final settlement details of their divorce, including issues of custody, provision of assets and attorneys' fees, will be decided - and, as both Nicole and Tom will be there to argue their cases, it could be quite an explosive hearing.

Nicole is thought to be fighting for sole custody of the adopted children, whereas Tom would like to share the responsibility. While he'd like them to stay in LA and continue their education, she wants them to be raised here in Australia.

Friends close to the star fear she's worried about the effects of the Church of Scientology on the children. When she and Tom were together, she ensured the children regularly visited a Roman Catholic church with her, but as Tom has already converted new girlfriend Penélope Cruz to Scientology, Nicole's worried they wouldn't continue going to Catholic mass without her. Nicole's concerns about her children's future with Tom and Penélope have grown since she saw these pictures taken backstage at the telethon for victims of the American tragedy. The couple saw the broadcast in each other's arms, and intimately hugged and whispered together.

Now Nicole, who's fearing they'll marry and raise their kids as Scientologists, wants to bring them home to her family here.

Financially, the couple could face even more difficulties, as they argue their cases. Nicole has always maintained the marriage broke down on February 4, while Tom says they separated on Christmas Eve - just days short of their 10-year anniversary. Under Californian law, less alimony needs to be paid if a couple is married less than 10 years. Nicole will argue she was pregnant to Tom, and lost the baby in March, just weeks after they broke up - she could even be called on to produce DNA evidence.

Lastly, the couple will be fighting over houses, cars, jewellery and belongings - thought to be worth millions.

Property-wise, Nicole wants their luxurious Pacific Palisades home, worth $19.3 million, where she currently lives, and their Sydney home, worth $8.9 million, while Tom wants the $3.8 million New York apartment and their huge Colorado ranch - a place he has visited with new girlfriend Penélope.

Nicole also wants the court to award her jewellery from Tom. This includes her wedding ring, a pair of earrings and a necklace he gave her on her 30th birthday.

People close to the couple originally thought there would be an amicable settlement before court, but now they think the divorce settlement could get quite nasty.

"The gloves could come off this time," says one source. "It's a no-holds-barred contest of wills."
WEBWATCH Do you think Tom and Penélope's love is for keeps? Vote at ninemsn.com.au
[two photos of Tom and Penélope, one of Nicole and children] These cosy pictures of Tom and Penélope, taken at the US telethon, have fuelled Nicole's fears of losing her kids to the nearly-wed couple.
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