Halle Berry’s Ex-Husband Olivier Martinez Accused of Owing 5-Figure Debt Amid Custody War
By Ryan Naumann,
1 days ago
Halle Berry’s ex-husband Olivier Martinez has allegedly failed to pay his former divorce lawyers who helped him fight the actress in court — and they want Halle to cough up the money, In Touch can exclusively report.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Olivier’s former attorney filed a declaration as part of the exes’ nasty court battle.
The attorney, who works at the law firm Skarin Law Group, said the firm’s representation of Olivier, 58, ended on March 28.
The lawyer said Olivier hired another firm to take over. At the time, the attorney said Olivier owed $19,920.34, “which amount has grown to $21,401.09” with interest.
Per the filing, the firm worked for Olivier from February 2023 to March.
The firm spent a total of 163 hours on the case. Olivier racked up $74,920 in legal fees.
Halle, 58, made a contribution of $55,000 on the bill, leaving the balance of $19,000.
The lawyer added, “In total, [Oliver] owes my firm $21,401.09, which should be paid by [Halle], as [Halle] is the party who initiated all of the mediations and raised nearly every single issue that arose during my representation of [Olivier]. The fees and costs [Oliver] incurred with my firm were due almost exclusively to defend against [Halle’s] various ex parte applications, requests and demands to modify the Parties’ agreements, attend mediations initiated by [Halle] and to negotiate [Halle’s] requests and demands with her counsel.”
A judge has yet to rule. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for this month.
Halle and Olivier are fighting over the actress’ request to be awarded sole legal custody of their 10-year-old son, Maceo.
She accused Olivier of skipping out on coparenting therapy sessions they agreed to attend. Halle even accused her ex of conspiring with her former employee in an attempt to influence their son’s therapist with false stories about the Oscar winner.
Halle accused Olivier of “ignoring, interfering with and/or withholding consent for needed steps to obtain educational and psychoeducational services as well as other interventions for Maceo to meet his educational, psychological and social needs; or alternatively, using soccer activities as leverage for negotiating terms impacting Maceo’s educational and therapeutic needs.”
Olivier opposed Halle’s request and asked that he be given months to gather information on the matter.
His lawyer added, “[Halle] is making this sole custody request and refusing to set it on a date sufficiently far ahead for [Olivier] to defend it knowing full well that [Olivier] has been asking [Halle] for months to make an attorney fee contribution as he does not have sufficient funds to pay his counsel. She has refused this request, despite the fact that [Halle] is admittedly earning several millions of dollars at this time, and likely more given her new movie about to be released.”
In court documents, Halle’s lawyer claimed the Hollywood star spent over $200,000 since 2020 in an attempt to resolve her issues with Olivier before going to court.
She said she spent $75,000 on mediation attempts, $80,000 for legal fees in late 2023 and another $48,000 on her efforts to enforce the court orders. The case is ongoing.
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