A judge will allow Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez’s 13-year-old son, Maceo, to testify about a restraining-order request connected to his parents’ ongoing court dispute, according to PEOPLE.
The scope of the ruling is limited. It permits testimony concerning the restraining-order issue rather than unrestricted testimony about every aspect of the custody case. The testimony is set to take place in a closed courtroom, and the judge ordered that the teenager not be coached. The restraining-order hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 16.
Martinez is seeking sole custody and has accused Berry of physically abusing their son during a September 26 incident. Berry denies the allegations and has stated in court filings that she has never abused him.
Berry also objected to her son testifying, raising concerns that Martinez had influenced his account. Martinez maintains that their son should have an opportunity to describe what he experienced.
The former couple’s competing claims remain part of the ongoing proceedings. Allowing testimony does not establish that abuse occurred or resolve the custody dispute.
The latest development concerns what the court will hear as it considers the restraining-order request.
Sources: PEOPLE; Entertainment Weekly. Photo: The White House (public domain).
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