Tom Cruise Won’t Settle for Katie’s Custody Demands

Ever since we heard about Katie Holmes filing for divorce from Tom Cruise, we’ve known that one of the most important things to Katie is that she gets sole custody of Suri. She requested sole legal custody and primary residential custody, which I’m guessing means that Suri can sleep over at Tom’s house sometimes, but only if he promises not to sell her to Scientology. But then we heard that Katie and Tom were working on a settlement, which I thought sort of derailed all the “Katie Holmes means business” theories that we had. I was pretty worried that Katie was going soft and that she wasn’t going to fight as hard for what she wanted.

I’m not sure where Katie’s at right now, but it does look like Tom is trying to play nice, as long as he gets Suri:

Tom Cruise has made one thing VERY clear — Suri is the deal-maker and the deal-breaker in his divorce with Katie Holmes … this according to sources very familiar with the situation.

As we first reported, lawyers for both sides are trying to pound out a settlement. We’re told Tom has insisted that the settlement provide “meaningful, significant contact with his daughter.” As one source put it, “She is the primary concern in his life.”

Sources connected with Katie tell us they have made it clear that Tom will be able to spend time with his daughter when he finishes his movie shoot in the Rockies.

Lawyers for both sides have been meeting for hours a day. Sources say they even met for a full business day on Saturday. And, we’re told, they are not just trying to hash out a temporary truce — these are settlement negotiations for the entire divorce.

Sources say both sides are negotiating custody, visitation, support and property settlement.

One caution — we’re told the negotiations are still “in flux” and it’s possible things could fall apart.  But for now, no one is rushing to court.

I really hope all those hours of negotiations are all about Katie refusing to back down. According to Us Weekly, that’s exactly what’s happening:

“She is dead set on keeping custody of Suri,” a Holmes source tells Us Weekly. The Romantics actress — whose future projects include the new film Molly (which she wrote) and a Holmes and Yang runway debut at New York Fashion Week this fall — filed for divorce from Cruise, 50, June 28, and asked for sole legal custody of daughter Suri, 6.

“Katie is not going to compromise on certain issues, all regarding Suri,” the source says.

During their nearly six-year marriage, Holmes became increasingly uncomfortable with the bizarre rules and restrictions of Scientology — particularly with respect with how to raise and educate her only child with Cruise.

“This is about protecting her daughter,” another source explained to Us.

Get ’em, Katie!