This hearing took place under 2 months after Laura filed for divorce from Tom Padgett. Despite Padgett's subsequent claims that the divorce is about Scientology, there are several things to notice in this hearing:
Laura presents devastating evidence of Tom having an affair, which is the true reason she filed for divorce.
Despite repeatedly claiming in subsequent years that Scientology was the cause of his divorce, and that Scientology was a reason he wanted custody of his chldren:
Tom Padgett makes no reference to Scientology in this hearing, even in response to open-ended questions about his children's welfare (in one case he goes on for over three pages about the topic -- but doesn't mention Scientology at all).
Tom Padgett does not claim that Laura is an unfit mother for any reason.
Tom had lived in Michigan, apart from his family in Kentucky, for about a year prior to the filing of divorce. During that time, the children lived with Laura.
If having his children near were more important to Tom than the sale price of his Lexington house, he could have rented the house out and had his children and wife move to Michigan to be with him.
Prior to that, Laura had lived with the children in Virginia apart from Tom for around eight months while Tom was living in Kentucky.
[A Pendente Lite hearing in a divorce, custody, and child support case sets the temporary custody and maintenance conditions that will hold until these issues are fully worked out in litigation.]