The dual-state child custody case between Elon Musk (public name: Space Karen) and Grimes (government name: Claire Boucher) is moving along. The former couple are fighting over custody of their three shared children, X, three, Y, two, and Tau, one. In an attempt to keep the public from having access to court records, Elno filed a motion in Texas to issue a protective order before agreeing to sit for a deposition. He also asked the judge to suspend public access to case documents, citing a potential risk to his kids. “Won’t somebody think about the children,” cries the man who routinely shares anti-vax conspiracies.

Attorneys for Grimes previously requested Musk sit for a deposition at her lawyer’s office later this month. But in a filing this week, Musk said he wouldn’t answer her attorney’s questions until privacy protections are in place. Attorneys for Musk and Grimes didn’t immediately respond to BI’s request for comment.

During a deposition, Musk would likely face wide-ranging questions about all aspects of his life, including his business interests and healthcare practices as the court seeks to determine whether California or Texas has jurisdiction over the case, Christopher Melcher, a California family law attorney and partner at Walzer Melcher, told BI.

A protective order would guarantee the information Musk reveals during a deposition remains private and inaccessible to the public, Melcher added.

“Elon is going to want all this information locked up in a box so tight that Grimes could never use it,” Melcher said. “And while she may have no intention of publishing it outside the case, she wants to have reasonable access to it so she can use it to prove or disprove whatever she needs to.”

Lawyers for both Musk and Grimes have already tried and failed to agree to the terms of a confidentiality agreement ahead of a deposition, according to the filings. This is a common outcome in contentious family court cases, Melcher added.

“To date, no confidentiality agreements or orders have been agreed,” Musk’s attorneys wrote this week. “Without confidentiality, the children’s safety and welfare is at severe risk.”

Musk’s lawyers proposed a hearing on the motion for a protective order to take place later this month, according to a document obtained by BI. Musk’s request for privacy assurances is a “reasonable position” for someone of his level of fame to take, Melcher said.

The Tesla and SpaceX founder has expressed concerns about his privacy and his children’s safety in the past. Last year, Musk threatened to sue college student Jack Sweeney who shared the whereabouts of his private jet on X, formerly known as Twitter. At the time, Musk claimed his son, X, was followed by a “crazy stalker” who climbed on the car’s hood and attempted to block the car.

“Legal action is being taken against Sweeney & organizations who supported harm to my family,” he wrote on X. (Musk never sued Sweeney.) The billionaire also warned multiple times that he might “die under mysterious circumstances” after claiming he’d been threatened by Russian officials over SpaceX’s involvement in the Ukraine war.

Musk has become a controversial figure over the years. Most recently, Musk drew ire after he appeared to boost an antisemitic post on social media last month — causing X advertisers and some Tesla fans to speak out against Musk. On Wednesday, the Tesla CEO went on a tirade at DealBook Summit where he told advertisers who fled his social media site to “Go f— yourself” and even took aim at Disney CEO Bob Iger.

[From Business Insider]

Okay. I feel like several things can be true here. Apartheid Clyde can simultaneously not want to be publicly embarrassed yet again by answering questions about his business and personal sh–t while also being concerned about his ties with Russia, etc. al. catching up with him. I’m not sure what questions could come up in a custody case that would endanger his national security, though. In an era of true crime and investigative journalism, we’ve seen legal documents that are public record come back to haunt parties in different ways. Can you even imagine a podcast or documentary based on Musk that FOIA’s this kind of stuff? There would be seasons of content.

As far as the custody case goes, Musk filed his case in Texas, where monthly child-support payments are capped at $2,760 for three children, claiming that Grimes and the kids lived with him in Texas until July 2023. Boucher then countersued in California, claiming that it’s been the children’s home state since December 2022. Cali also has no limit on child support payments. Hmmm, $2,760 vs. unlimited payments. Won’t somebody think about the children?

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