Halle Berry is facing a new legal dispute with her former husband, Olivier Martinez, after the actor accused her of physically abusing their 12-year-old son, Maceo, and asked a Los Angeles County court to grant him sole legal custody.
Martinez, 60, filed a petition for a domestic violence restraining order against Berry, also 60, on October 1, according to court documents obtained by multiple outlets. He alleged that an incident occurred on September 26, when Maceo was at Berry’s home.
In his filing, Martinez alleged that Berry physically attacked Maceo during an argument, claiming she jumped on the child, put her hands around his neck and choked him.
Martinez described the alleged incident as the latest in what he characterized as a pattern of physical, verbal and emotional abuse. He also alleged that there had been previous incidents involving his son over the past several years.
The filing reportedly includes text messages exchanged between Berry and Martinez following the September 26 incident. According to PEOPLE, Berry allegedly told Martinez the following day that she felt terrible about what had happened.
Martinez is seeking to replace the former couple’s existing shared custody arrangement with sole legal custody of Maceo. He also requested restrictions on Berry’s contact with both him and their son.
His attorney, Patrick Baghdaserians, said Martinez’s primary concern is Maceo’s health, welfare and safety, while also arguing that Berry should receive appropriate help.
Berry has denied the allegations through her attorney, Marina Beck, who described Martinez’s filing as “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.”
In a statement, Beck argued that there is extensive evidence concerning Martinez’s own conduct during the couple’s long-running custody dispute, alleging that he has violated court orders and interfered with therapeutic and educational interventions involving their son.
Berry’s legal team said the actress remains focused on Maceo’s best interests and intends to continue fighting for him.
The allegations made by either side have not been finally determined by the court.
The legal dispute escalated on October 1 when a Los Angeles County judge granted Martinez a temporary restraining order covering him and Maceo, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE.
The order temporarily changes Berry’s visitation schedule rather than completely cutting off contact between Berry and her son. She is permitted to see Maceo on specified days and during specified hours while the order remains in effect.
The judge declined Martinez’s request for monitoring of Berry’s sobriety, citing insufficient information, according to PEOPLE.
The court has also ordered Berry and Martinez to participate in confidential mediation concerning custody.
A hearing has been scheduled for October 16, when the court is expected to consider the matter further and determine whether the temporary restrictions should remain in place.
The latest dispute comes three years after Berry and Martinez finalized their divorce following years of legal proceedings.
The former couple married in 2013 and welcomed Maceo later that year. They separated in 2015, and their divorce was finalized in 2023.
Under their divorce agreement, Berry and Martinez shared joint legal custody of Maceo. Berry was also ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 per month in child support, along with an additional percentage of income above a specified threshold. She was also responsible for certain educational and extracurricular expenses.
Their co-parenting relationship has previously required court intervention. In 2024, the former couple agreed to participate in co-parenting therapy intended to help resolve disagreements and improve their ability to co-parent Maceo.
Streamdorm careful not to treat the allegations made by Martinez nor the counterclaims made by Berry’s legal team as findings of fact at this stage. The court proceedings will determine how the custody dispute develops and whether any longer-term orders are warranted.