Halle Berry’s ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, is now coming after her for $240,000 in legal fees as their ongoing custody battle over their 13-year-old son, Maceo, takes another expensive turn.
According to court documents, Martinez wants a judge to order the Oscar-winning actress to cover his mounting attorney expenses, claiming he does not have the financial resources to pay for the lengthy legal fight himself.
The request comes less than a week after Martinez secured a temporary custody arrangement that allows him to maintain primary physical custody of their son, while Berry continues fighting to restore their previous shared custody schedule.
Now, the disagreement is moving beyond custody arrangements and into who should be responsible for paying the attorneys involved.
In his latest filing, Martinez claims he owes $176,522.58 in outstanding legal fees. However, he is not stopping there. The French actor is also requesting an additional $63,477.42 to cover anticipated legal expenses as the former couple continues navigating their custody dispute.
Together, those amounts bring his request to exactly $240,000.
Martinez is also painting a picture of financial hardship in the documents. He claims his average monthly income from residual payments is just $776.34, despite having a career in Hollywood that includes appearances in films such as Unfaithful and S.W.A.T.
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His reported expenses, however, tell a much different story.
According to his income and expense declaration, Martinez estimates that his monthly living expenses total $17,555.99. He also reports having approximately $43,206.22 spread across various financial accounts.
That means his reported monthly expenses exceed his claimed residual income by more than $16,700.
The filing raises another financial issue between the former spouses, although a judge has not yet publicly been reported to have approved his request for Berry to pay the legal bills.
The latest demand follows a particularly contentious stretch in the former couple’s custody proceedings.
On October 29, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Shelley L. Kaufman dissolved a temporary domestic violence restraining order Martinez had obtained against Berry. The judge also denied his request to make the restraining order permanent.
However, the court left their modified custody arrangement in place, allowing Martinez to retain primary physical custody of Maceo while limiting Berry’s parenting time.
Berry had sought to return to the former couple’s previous 50/50 physical custody arrangement, but that schedule was not restored.
Under the temporary arrangement, Berry has scheduled daytime visits with her son but cannot have overnight visits. The court is expected to revisit the custody arrangements in November.
The dispute intensified after Martinez accused Berry of physically abusing Maceo during an alleged September 26 incident involving a virtual reality game.
Martinez claimed Berry placed her hands around their son’s neck and choked him. Berry has strongly denied those accusations.
In court documents addressing the allegations, Berry stated, “I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo.”
She continued, “I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence. I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child.”
During the recent proceedings, Maceo also testified in a closed courtroom session. Both parents were required to leave while their son provided testimony.
Following the October 29 ruling, Berry’s attorney, Marina Beck, welcomed the decision to dissolve the restraining order.
“We are extremely pleased that the Court has dissolved the TRO,” Beck said in a statement.
“As we move forward, Halle is determined to continue to focus on the well-being and best interest of her family.”
Berry and Martinez married in 2013, welcomed Maceo that same year, and announced their separation in 2015. Their divorce was not finalized until 2023, following years of legal proceedings.
Their divorce agreement included joint legal and physical custody arrangements and required Berry to pay Martinez $8,000 monthly in child support, along with certain additional expenses.
The newly reported legal fee request is separate from those previously established financial obligations.
For now, Martinez is asking the court to shift another substantial expense onto Berry as their custody dispute continues.
Whether the judge agrees to make Berry responsible for the $240,000 remains unresolved, with additional proceedings concerning their son’s custody still ahead.
