Actor Halle Berry completes parenting program amid custody battle with Olivier Martinez

Halle Berry has completed a mandatory court parenting programme amid an ongoing custody dispute with her former husband, Olivier Martinez, according to documents obtained by TMZ.

Berry signed a certificate on Tuesday confirming completion of the Los Angeles Superior Court’s “Our Children First” online mediation orientation and parent education programme. According to the court’s website, parents must complete the programme before proceeding with custody or visitation disputes.

The filing comes as Berry and Martinez contest custody arrangements for their 13-year-old son, Maceo. Martinez alleged that Berry placed their son in a headlock and choked him during an incident involving a virtual reality game. Berry denied the allegation, saying they had been playfully roughhousing and that she never put her hands around his neck.

Berry has described herself as a survivor of domestic violence and an advocate against abuse, saying she would never hurt their child. She also alleged that Martinez had failed to establish appropriate boundaries and resisted professional support for Maceo’s behavioural and neurodivergent needs. Martinez has disputed her account of his approach to their son’s mental health treatment.

A judge previously granted Martinez a temporary restraining order while preserving Berry’s final decision-making authority over Maceo’s mental health and education. The former couple is scheduled to return to court on October 16.