Kimora Lee Simmons custody filing mix-up explained
TMZ reports Kimora Lee Simmons is not trying to give Tim Leissner primary custody of their 11-year-old son despite a divorce filing oddity.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
A divorce filing that appeared to show Kimora Lee Simmons asking a court to give Tim Leissner primary custody of their son was a paperwork mistake, according to TMZ.
A person with direct knowledge told the outlet that Simmons has had full custody of 11-year-old Wolfe since she and Leissner separated in 2020, and that her position has not changed.
The confusion came from Simmons' response to Leissner's divorce petition. TMZ reported that the document marked an option indicating Leissner should receive primary legal and physical custody of Wolfe.
According to the person who spoke with TMZ, that selection was incorrect and appears to have been a clerical error.
The custody box that raised eyebrows
The filing stood out because it did not line up with Leissner's own request in the divorce case. TMZ previously reported that Leissner had asked for joint legal and physical custody.
Simmons' response, as filed, seemed to go further by asking that Leissner be given primary legal and physical custody. The person with direct knowledge told TMZ that was not what Simmons intended.
TMZ reported that the rest of Simmons' filing was accurate. In the same response, she asked the court to end its power to award spousal support to Leissner, requested spousal support for herself and sought attorney's fees.
No response from Leissner to the reported clerical-error claim was included in TMZ's account.
Leissner's legal history
The custody issue comes while Leissner is still serving prison time for his role in a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal, according to TMZ.
TMZ also noted that Leissner previously admitted to faking divorce documents so he could marry Simmons while he was still legally married to his first wife, Judy Chan.
Those details were cited by the person with direct knowledge as part of the context around why the custody selection looked so unusual.
A long marriage, a long split
Simmons and Leissner were married for 12 years, according to TMZ. The outlet reported they have been separated since 2020.
Leissner filed for divorce earlier this year, TMZ previously reported. The latest development centers on Simmons' response to that petition and whether one marked custody option reflected her actual request.
According to TMZ's reporting, it did not. The person with direct knowledge said Simmons is not planning to hand primary custody of Wolfe to Leissner.
The court filing, however, remains the spark for the confusion: one box on a divorce form suggested a custody position that the person close to the matter says Simmons does not hold.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.