Parents going through the divorce process are encouraged to reach shared agreements concerning divorce-related issues whenever possible. Halle Berry and her husband, actor Olivier Martinez, recently announced that they are divorcing. A primary concern in the divorce will be custody of the couple’s 2-year old son. According to reports, the couple each filed a divorce petition, however, it is important to the couple that they not engage in a child custody battle. The couple both filed for joint custody of the child.
Reportedly, the couple is working on a visitation schedule for custody of their son. Berry was previously involved in a custody battle with the father of her daughter which required her to remain in the Los Angeles area to share custody. Berry requested in her petition that Martinez obtain prior permission before taking their son out of California.
The couple will also need to resolve spousal support issues. In her petition, Berry requested that spousal support not be granted to either party, however, Martinez requested spousal support issues be worked out at a later time. Berry also requested that the couple share child care costs according to the prenuptial agreement between the couple.
When determining child custody matters, it is helpful to focus on what is best for the children and not on the emotions of the parents. The bests] interests of the children commonly guide divorce-related concerns involving children such as child custody concerns. Reaching a peaceful child custody arrangement may seem like a challenge for many divorcing parents but it is in the best interests of the children and can save parents time, money and bad feelings.
Source: People.com, “Halle Berry Does Not Want Custody Battle, Seeks ‘Easy and Amicable’ Divorce from Olivier Martinez: Source,” Jodi Guglielmi, Oct. 29, 2015
