Halle Berry has fired back at ex-husband Olivier Martinez with new court papers seeking sole legal custody of their teenage son.
The Oscar winner, 60, filed a formal response Wednesday in Los Angeles that blames Martinez, 60, for a sharp deterioration in 13-year-old Maceo’s conduct at school since a temporary restraining order took effect against her on October 1. Berry’s filing seeks to strip Martinez of equal decision-making power and restore her authority over the boy’s education, medical care and mental health treatment.
The actress contends that Martinez has spent years obstructing professional recommendations for Maceo’s schooling and therapy, encouraging the teenager to make major life choices independently, and pulling him into the parents’ legal warfare. Her attorneys cite prior court findings about Martinez’s alleged failure to follow orders and his conduct generating unnecessary legal fees.
“Since the issuance of the Temporary Restraining Order on October 1, Maceo’s behavioral issues at school have significantly escalated,” the filing states.
The response points to an October 10 letter from Sara Love, associate head of school at Park Century School, plus concerns raised by staffer Jon Hay. The correspondence describes what Berry’s lawyers call “an escalating disregard for school rules, authority, and appropriate peer interactions at a critical juncture in Maceo’s development.”
Specific incidents cited include disruptive behavior, harassing a younger student, using inappropriate language, throwing objects, and a full week of detention beginning October 12. Berry also notes that Maceo told school personnel he plans to attend Wildwood, a different area school, next year — a statement she interprets as evidence he believes he can unilaterally decide his future.
The filing includes earlier school correspondence predating the restraining order, documenting difficulties with following directions and physical behavior toward peers. A September 18 exchange addressed professional recommendations and a proposed week-on, week-off custody arrangement.
Berry argues that the restraining order Martinez obtained could actually harm Maceo’s behavioral progress, asserting that she has historically been the parent enforcing discipline and pursuing therapeutic intervention. Her proposed custody arrangement would require Maceo to attend individual therapy weekly for at least one year, plus conjoint sessions with her, with Berry selecting the therapists and managing scheduling.
Her attorneys accuse Martinez and his counsel of misleading the court through omissions and incomplete information. They ask the judge to deem Martinez’s testimony unreliable, while cautioning that Maceo’s own account should be weighed carefully given how the family conflict may distort his recollection and how his continued involvement risks further emotional damage.
Berry additionally disputes Martinez’s allegations about her alcohol use, opposes his requests for alcohol testing and related restrictions, and asks the court to reject his financial demands including child support modifications and contributions toward his legal fees.
The filing proposes that Berry and Martinez communicate exclusively through OurFamilyWizard, a co-parenting application, with limits of one non-emergency message per parent daily and response deadlines of 48 hours for routine matters and five hours for urgent issues.
Supporting declarations came from Berry’s fiancé, musician Van Hunt, 56, her daughter Nahla, 18, and school personnel among others.
Berry and Martinez married in 2013, filed for divorce in 2015, and finalized their split in 2023 with joint legal and physical custody of Maceo. That arrangement is now the center of their escalating courtroom battle, with Berry pushing for a decisive shift in authority before their next scheduled hearing.