Suri's mental state probed in Cruise's USD 50mn lawsuit

Tom Cruise's six-year-old daughter Suri's mental health post his split from Katie Holmes has come under the scanner after the superstar sued a publication for USD 50 million.

Cruise filed the lawsuit in October against the Bauer Media Group, publisher of Life & Style magazine, over a story that suggested the actor had abandoned daughter Suri.

The litigation has become nasty in the pretrial phase, with both parties outlining what each is seeking in discovery, said The Hollywood Reporter.

Bauer Media, represented by attorney Alonzo Wickers, is seeking the expectations for Cruise's contact and visitation schedule with Suri and the terms of the divorce agreement, as well as Suri's mental and emotional state following the separation and divorce, among other things.

The 50-year-old actor, in turn, is seeking Bauer's history of bigotry and hatred toward minority religious groups and their members, besides the identity of the magazine's sources and communications with those sources.

"Tom doesn't go around suing people. He's not a litigious guy. But when these sleaze peddlers try to make money with disgusting lies about his relationship with his child, you bet he's going to sue," Cruise's lawyer Bert Fields said.

According to a document filed Thursday, Bauer will attempt to exert journalistic shield privileges to protect the identity of its sources.

Cruise separated from Holmes in July last year after over five years of marriage.