Olivier Martinez is asking his former wife, Halle Berry, to cover the substantial legal bills he accumulated during their contentious custody dispute involving their son, Maceo.
The former couple spent weeks in court over custody of their 13-year-old son after Martinez, 60, accused Berry, also 60, of physically abusing the child. The actress has denied the allegations.
Last week, a judge awarded Martinez primary physical custody of Maceo and dissolved a temporary restraining order he had sought against Berry on behalf of himself and their son.
Martinez is now asking the court to require Berry to contribute to the legal expenses he incurred during the case.
Court documents obtained by The Daily Mail show that Martinez requested $240,000 in attorney’s fees. He said he does not have the financial resources to pay his lawyers for the “extensive work completed” throughout the custody proceedings.
“While Petitioner and I are both actors, our respective incomes and access to assets vastly differ. I have not had any acting roles for years now. Petitioner, on the other hand, has starred in Crime 101, a film released in 2026, and is working on two additional films, Fleur, of which she is also a producer, and Red Card,” he stated in court documents.
Olivier Martinez is asking ex-wife Halle Berry to pay the legal fees he incurred during their bitter custody dispute over their son, Maceo
In his income and expense declaration, Martinez said he receives an average of $776.34 per month in residual payments. He reported having $43,206.22 in cash and real estate valued at $550,000, describing a home he bought for $500,000 earlier this year as his “only significant asset.”
He received $288.33 in residual income last month.
Martinez estimated his average monthly expenses at $17,555.99. That figure includes home maintenance and repairs, groceries, utilities, laundry and cleaning costs.
His attorney said Martinez currently owes his law firm $176,522.58, with the total bill expected to reach $240,000.
Martinez said he initially believed the dispute could be resolved privately during a two-day settlement conference. Instead, he said, “a lengthy trial ensued.”
“Multiple third-party witnesses were called upon by Petitioner [Berry]. The Court did not allow multiple other individuals to testify, including friends of Petitioner, her two attorneys, and three medical professionals, but the individuals who did testify drastically lengthened the trial,” Martinez said in his declaration.
His request cites Family Code § 2030, which allows a court to order the party with greater financial resources to pay the opposing party’s legal fees and related court costs.
“Petitioner has the ability to pay for both her own attorney’s fees and Respondent’s attorney’s fees,” a document supporting Martinez’s request states. “Considering the significant income disparity, regarding which further information will be provided in reply paperwork, Petitioner’s ability to pay, and Respondent’s critical need for effective legal representation, the Court should order Petitioner to advance attorney’s fees to ensure parity between the parties.”
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Berry and Martinez seeking comment.
The custody dispute intensified last month when Martinez accused Berry of physically abusing their 13-year-old son, Maceo. Berry has denied each of the allegations.
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The case saw several significant developments last week.
Martinez asked the court to order Berry to pay $240,000 in legal fees, saying he cannot afford the costs of the extensive custody litigation
The custody dispute escalated after Martinez accused Berry of physically abusing their 13-year-old son, Maceo; Berry has denied the claims
Martinez said he had not worked as an actor for years, while Berry starred in Crime 101 and is attached to two other films
TMZ reported that Martinez had been granted primary physical custody of Maceo and that Berry no longer had overnight visits with their son.
A representative for Berry told the outlet that she continues to share joint legal custody and retains the deciding vote if she and Martinez cannot reach an agreement.
Martinez and Berry had previously shared custody of Maceo equally. According to NBC LA, Martinez was granted primary custody, but the domestic violence restraining order he sought to make permanent was dissolved.
“We are extremely pleased that the Court has dissolved the TRO,” Marina Beck, Berry’s attorney, told The Daily Mail. “As we move forward, Halle is determined to continue to focus on the well-being and best interests of her family.”
Following the ruling, Martinez said he hoped Maceo’s relationship with his mother would improve.
Berry was seen leaving court with her fiancé, Van Hunt, last week
“I truly hope Maceo and his mother will be able to have a better relationship in the future,” he told Extra.
“I don’t want my son to hate his mom. I want him to love her. I want him to forgive her, and I want them to reconcile in some sort at one point.”
The legal dispute began after Martinez alleged in a court filing that Berry had physically abused Maceo “by jumping on him and choking him” during a September 26 incident. Berry has denied the allegations.
A source for Page Six described the dissolution of the temporary restraining order as “a huge win” for Berry.
Patrick Baghdaserians, Martinez’s attorney, told TMZ that Berry’s lawyers had sought to reinstate their previous 50/50 custody arrangement, but the judge rejected the request.
The judge is reportedly expected to revisit the custody arrangement next month.
Berry and Martinez were married from 2013 to 2015, and finalized their divorce in 2023.