Phoenix 24
Years after their divorce, disagreements over their son have evolved from co parenting therapy into another legal confrontation.
Los Angeles
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez are again facing each other in court over the parenting of their 12 year old son, Maceo, extending a conflict that has continued long after the end of their marriage. The former couple attempted to manage their differences through a formal co parenting therapy process in 2024, but the relationship has since deteriorated into renewed allegations, court filings and temporary changes to custody arrangements.
Berry and Martinez agreed in May 2024 to work with a parenting coach in an effort to resolve disputes and improve their ability to raise Maceo jointly. The process involved individual sessions followed by six joint meetings, after which the therapist would determine whether additional intervention was necessary. Berry’s partner, musician Van Hunt, was also permitted to participate.
The therapeutic approach did not eliminate the underlying tensions. By August 2024, Berry had accused Martinez of repeatedly violating court agreements and interfering with educational and therapeutic decisions involving their son. People close to the family have described the former couple as having significantly different parenting styles despite both remaining closely involved in Maceo’s life.
Their relationship had already been legally complicated for years. Berry and Martinez filed for divorce in 2015 after two years of marriage, but the process was not finalized until 2023. The agreement established joint legal custody and required Berry to pay Martinez $8,000 per month in child support, plus an additional percentage of annual income above $2 million. She also assumed responsibility for Maceo’s private school tuition and several related educational expenses.
The dispute escalated again in October 2026 when Martinez sought a temporary restraining order against Berry and accused her of physically and emotionally mistreating their son. A Los Angeles judge granted a temporary order that modified the existing parenting arrangement until a later hearing. The court did not establish the allegations as proven facts.
Berry’s attorney, Marina Beck, has rejected the accusations as unfounded and misleading. Her defense argues that Martinez has himself repeatedly violated court orders and interfered with therapeutic and educational measures considered necessary for Maceo. Martinez’s legal team, by contrast, says its priority is the child’s safety and well being.
The case remains unresolved and the competing allegations continue to be tested through the judicial process.
What began as an attempt to stabilize co parenting has become another example of how unresolved conflict after divorce can move from private disagreement to therapy, then from therapy to the courtroom.
The visible and the hidden, in context.