After eight years, famed actress Halley Berry has finally fully resolved her divorce from ex-husband Olivier Martinez. The couple split in 2015, after just two years of marriage, but despite a prenuptial agreement, they didn’t finish resolving matters until August 2023. Their divorce lasted four times longer than their marriage.
What Caused Halley Berry’s Divorce to Last So Long
Berry and Martinez had a prenuptial agreement in place, which made asset division comparatively easy. So, why did it take so long to finalize their split? It boiled down to a major custody battle over their son, born in 2014. The pair could not agree on a fair custody and child support agreement, leading to years of litigation. The issue was so significant that they successfully had their divorce bifurcated in 2016, separating asset division and their legal marital status from the matter of custody.
As of August 2023, Berry and Martinez’s son is now nine years old, and a custody and support order is in place. The couple will split parenting time and legal custody equally. Additionally, Berry will pay Martinez $8,000 a month in support and 4.3% of her annual income above $2 million. Berry is also responsible for covering her son’s medical expenses, health insurance, school tuition, and extracurricular costs.
How to Keep Your Divorce on Schedule
Stories like Halle Berry’s divorce are more common than you’d think. She made the right decision by getting a prenuptial agreement before getting married, but even the best prenup can’t cover child custody and support issues. As a result, many parents who get divorced find custody a major sticking point in their split.
However, there are ways to keep things on schedule.
- Respect your coparent’s rights: Even if you don’t like your spouse anymore, they have the same rights to spend time with your children as you do. Don’t try to “punish” them by seeking primary or sole custody unless they pose a risk to your children.
- Remember that child support is an obligation: California’s child support calculator is straightforward. Unless you have an excellent reason to alter how much it states should be paid, you must negotiate with your spouse if you want your order to name a different amount.
- Focus on your kids’ best interests: Custody and support orders are intended to provide for the children’s wellbeing. Keeping that in mind can help you avoid unnecessary arguments and litigation.
- Work with an experienced California divorce attorney: A skilled attorney can help you accomplish your parenting goals during your divorce without wasting time.
At the Viola Law Firm P.C., we have decades of experience helping California parents successfully navigate divorce and custody battles. Schedule your consultation to discover how we can help you keep your divorce on schedule and avoid an eight-year battle like Halle Berry’s.
