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Attorneys for Halle Berry and her ex-husband Olivier Martinez reportedly sparred in court on Tuesday in their ongoing custody battle over their son Maceo.
During the hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, Martinez's attorney, Patrick Baghdaserians, asked Judge Shelley Kaufman to reopen evidence so that he could question Berry, 60, over an Instagram post she shared on Monday, according to a reporter in court for Page Six.
Baghdaserians reportedly accused Berry of having violated the terms of a temporary domestic violence restraining order.
According to the publication, Berry's attorney, Marina Beck, called Martinez's attorney's attempt to question Berry a 'last-minute grasp at straws' and said it was 'nothing more than a witch hunt.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to Berry and Martinez's representatives for comment but has not yet received a response.
Earlier this month, Martinez, 60, obtained a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Berry after accusing her in a court filing of 'physically abusing' their 13-year-old son Maceo 'by jumping on him and choking him' in a September 26 incident. Berry has denied all of the allegations.
Attorneys for Halle Berry and her ex-husband Olivier Martinez, both 60, reportedly sparred in court on Tuesday in their ongoing custody battle over their son Maceo. Martinez's attorney accused Berry of violating a temporary restraining order with an Instagram post from Monday
Martinez's attorney took issue with a repost shared to Berry's Instagram Stories on Monday, which has since disappeared.
Berry's repost featured a quotation attributed to the relationship coach Kai Vinci, in which he said: 'If kids disrespect their mom, the root cause often traces back to their relationship with the father.. [100 emoji].'
In response to Martinez's attorney's attempt to reopen questioning, Berry's attorney reportedly said that Martinez's legal team 'just intended to re-open evidence and continue their false narrative.'
Beck also claimed that Baghdaserians intentionally made the request in open court so that it would be observed by reporters.
According to Page Six, Martinez's attorney denied Beck's claim and said the request didn't hang on the presence of reporters in court.
Baghdaserians said that Berry's post had shown up on her Instagram Stories shortly after evidence had closed.
'This sort of conduct is the reason we are here today,' he said, accusing Berry's post of 'disturbing my client’s peace' and 'calm.'
Judge Kaufman ultimately denied the request to reopen evidence.
Berry's Monday repost was of a quotation from the relationship coach Kai Vinci, in which he said: 'If kids disrespect their mom, the root cause often traces back to their relationship with the father.. [100 emoji].' The post has since disappeared from her Instagram stories
Berry's attorney, Marina Beck (R) accused Martinez's attorney of intentionally bringing up the Instagram post in open court when reporters would be present; pictured on Tuesday in LA
Martinez's attorney denied that the request was intended for the benefit of reporters and said Berry's post had disturbed his 'client’s peace' and 'calm'; Martinez and Berry are pictured in 2014 in LA
According to Page Six, the courtroom was cleared after the back-and-forth as Berry and Martinez's attorneys delivered their closing arguments.
Judge Kaufman is expected to issue a ruling on Thursday of this week on Martinez's request for a domestic violence restraining order and sole custody of Maceo.
Martinez previously faced questions from attorneys on both sides on Friday, October 23, according to a minute order reviewed by The Daily Mail.
Berry's fiancé, 56-year-old Van Hunt, also testified under questioning from Berry's legal team, according to court documents. The musician had been on the premises during the incident involving Berry and her son.
Following Hunt's testimony, Martinez's legal team proposed to recall Maceo 'as a rebuttal witness and to present his testimony remotely,' the minute order stated.
Martinez withdrew the request after the court found that if Maceo was to testify again, it would have to be in person, according to the court documents.
Hunt had been seen departing the court around 4pm on Friday, Page Six reported, noting that he seemed 'relieved' as he finished testifying and was 'seen laughing' with one of Berry's lawyers.
Berry had been seen rubbing Hunt's arm as they departed the court, the outlet reported.
Judge Kaufman ultimately denied the request to reopen evidence, and the courtroom was cleared after the back-and-forth as Berry and Martinez's attorneys delivered their closing arguments; Berry is pictured on Friday in LA
Berry's fiancé, 56-year-old Van Hunt (L), testified on Friday under questioning from Berry's legal team, according to court documents. The musician had been on the premises during the incident involving Berry and her son; pictured on Monday in LA
Following Hunt's testimony, Martinez's legal team proposed to recall Maceo 'as a rebuttal witness and to present his testimony remotely,' the minute order stated, before the request was withdrawn
Martinez and his legal team had been seen leaving the courtroom at around 4.30pm, according to the outlet.
Berry’s daughter Nahla Aubry, 18, had been slated to testify via stream during Monday's hearing, the publication reported.
In a legal filing made in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this month that was reviewed by The Daily Mail, Berry claimed that Martinez has repeatedly inserted himself into ongoing issues regarding Maceo's schooling and therapy, obstructing progress in all areas.
She told the court that Martinez has inappropriately gotten Maceo involved in the ongoing custody battle and undermined her efforts with the teen, per the filing.
Berry said that the court should award her 'sole legal custody over matters relating to Maceo’s education, healthcare, and mental-health treatment,' and 'extend [her] tie-breaking authority indefinitely.'
The aforementioned requests would be 'so that necessary interventions can be implemented without continued delay, conflict, and harm to the child,' Berry said in the court filing.
Attorneys for Berry said in the filing that the ongoing 'case has been and continues to be about Olivier’s efforts to use manipulation, alienation, and litigation to obstruct necessary interventions for Maceo and to circumvent orders.'
Berry's legal team said in the filing that it was not merely Berry's 'characterization of events,' as Martinez's 'custom and practice is confirmed by numerous judicial findings, court orders, and sanctions.'
Hunt seemed 'relieved' as he finished testifying and was 'seen laughing' with one of Berry's lawyers after Friday's proceedings
Hunt donned a navy blue suit with a tan button-up shirt and black dress shoes as he supported his fiancée at the courthouse
Berry said in the court filing that Maceo's 'behavioral issues at school have significantly escalated' since the temporary restraining order had been issued earlier this month.
In the filing, Berry pointed to letters submitted to the court by administrators from Maceo's school indicating that he 'has become increasingly oppositional, defiant, and disrespectful toward both peers and authority figures.'
Berry added in the legal filing that the school officials have said 'Maceo has been more disruptive at school, harassed a younger student, used inappropriate language, thrown objects at peers, been disciplined with a week of detention and unilaterally announced that he is' switching schools.
Berry said in the legal filing that, with Martinez's encouragement, Maceo has been reinforced to believe he has a say in 'decisions regarding his education, health, extracurricular activities, and general welfare.'
In addition to asking for sole custody, Berry has requested the court authorize an arrangement in which Maceo would attend therapy sessions for a year, 'both individual and conjoint,' with a therapist of her choosing.
Berry in the legal filing requested that both parties 'be ordered to forthwith communicate exclusively via Our Family Wizard,' a co-parenting app. She asked the court for conditions in which each party would check the app once a day, and send no more than one message daily in cases of no emergency.
Berry and Martinez had been married from 2013 to 2015, finalizing their split in 2023.
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