The ongoing custody battle between actress Halle Berry and her ex-husband, actor Olivier Martinez, has taken a heated turn as both parties exchange serious accusations. Earlier this month, Berry, 58, filed for sole custody of their 10-year-old son, Maceo, citing concerns over Martinez’s ability to address their son’s special needs. Now, Martinez, also 58, is firing back, accusing Berry of attempting to take unfair advantage of him during the legal proceedings.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Berry alleges that Martinez is causing “detrimental harm” to their son by requesting a delay in their upcoming custody hearing. She argues that Maceo, who has been diagnosed with ADHD, specific learning disorders, and mild dyslexia, is struggling academically and is “grade levels” behind in school. Berry claims that Martinez is either “oblivious” to their son’s challenges or is “carelessly disregarding them,” raising concerns about his fitness to make decisions for Maceo.
Berry further alleges that by delaying the custody hearing, Martinez is postponing a “ruling on interventions necessary for the parties’ struggling child” and is using the situation as leverage to “extract” more money from her. She also dismissed Martinez’s claim that he needs to hire an expert to testify on his behalf as “nonsensical,” noting that the third-party witnesses she has called are individuals who know Maceo intimately.
In response, Martinez filed his own documents, accusing Berry of trying to “bootstrap her way into an immediate hearing” and giving him the “absolute minimum” time to prepare. He claims that Berry is “refusing” to set a hearing date that accommodates his schedule and has denied his request for assistance in covering legal fees, despite her substantial earnings. Martinez asserts that he is being unfairly kept from properly defending himself in court and that Berry’s actions are an attempt to “railroad him into” a hasty decision.
Martinez argues that he “cannot be forced to give up his right to discovery or his right to have sufficient time to prepare his response” simply because Berry is pushing for an expedited hearing. His filings emphasize that he is entitled to a fair opportunity to present his case, especially given the serious nature of the custody dispute.
As the custody battle intensifies, the complexities and emotional toll of co-parenting a child with special needs. With accusations flying on both sides, the case underscores the challenges of navigating custody issues when both parents hold differing views on their child’s welfare. The outcome of this dispute remains uncertain, but it is clear that both Berry and Martinez are prepared for a contentious legal fight over the future of their son, Maceo.
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