Custodial Parent Has a Drug Problem

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Pierce County, Washington

Hello all... I'm new here and really hoping for some help.

I am currently living in Texas but my daughter and ex are in Pierce County, Wa. My 15 year old daughter just finally told me about how her mom and grandparents recruited her into a 2+ year conspiracy to hide my ex wife's serious problems with drugs and alcohol. After further investigation on my part I learned that she's racked up 4 felony arrests in the last two years for possession of meth & heroin, robbery, assault, resisting arrest, bail jumping and criminal impersonation - whatever that is?!?

Apparently my daughter has also spent months at a time living with her grandparents instead of her mom. Which my daughter was manipulated into hiding from me based on the lie that if she were to come live with me she'd never see her mom or grandparents again. All the while my child support was funding my ex's drug addiction and outlaw "off grid" lifestyle.

I'm pretty bright and don't have much money these days for a lawyer so I will need to handle this Pro Se. I believe my best strategy is to file Motion of Contempt right away for violating our parenting plan by not advising me as the non-custodial parent of my ex wife's felony criminal history and serious problem with drugs. I can then file interrogatories relating to my daughters living situation, my ex's drug problems, any stints in rehab, etc. - at which point I will be better informed as to how I should proceed next.

Here are my questions:

1. Is this the best initial strategy?
2. Should I file any other motions, etc at the same time?
3. Can someone point me to the form for discovery/interrogatories - I can't find it?
4. How do I file Pro Se being out of state?
5. Do I need to serve the papers or will family court do that since it's an existing case?
6. If I do need to serve her... my ex won't give me their current address; so what do I do?

Thank you all very much in advance for any help :D

There is no contempt here. While it would have been a common courtesy to let you know, there's no law forcing her to tell you.

1. No
2. I'm not convinced you should be filing anything at this point
3. Slow down!
4. WA is very pro-se friendly
5. You'd need to serve her - the court won't do that for you
6. That's not your biggest problem.


Dad, I hate to say this, but unless you can provide proof - before you even get to the interrogatories - that something is amiss, you're a bit stuck. You cannot take your daughter's word as gospel. Has she reported anything? Does she attend school?


Is your child currently living with Mom?

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I believe my best strategy is to file Motion of Contempt right away for violating our parenting plan by not advising me as the non-custodial parent of my ex wife's felony criminal history and serious problem with drugs

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is there something in your parenting plan that would demand she disclose such information to you?



what state has jurisdiction over the custody and visitation matters?

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If I do need to serve her... my ex won't give me their current address; so what do I do?

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figure out what her address is, which surely will be difficult from several states away.

My question involves child abuse or neglect in the State of: Washington

I am currently living in Texas but my daughter and ex are in Pierce County, Washington. Yesterday my daughter finally told me that prior to approximately one year ago she had actually been living in secret full time with her grandparents off an on for a period of 2-3 years. My daughter explained that this situation was instigated because my ex wife was unable to care for her due to a prolonged problem she developed with addiction. And so my ex wife and her mother and father in separate households colluded to enable my ex wife's addiction and hide my daughters living situation from the world because they all knew that legally my daughter should have been living with me as her father and non-custodial parent during this time. Which they all new I wanted and why they made every effort to remove me from the equation.

My daughter was forced to be directly involved in this conspiracy for years and motivated by the lie that if she were to come live with me she would never be able to see her mother or grandparents again. I believe that what my ex wife and her parents subjected my daughter to could easily be described as emotional/psychological abuse and I have not been able rule out the possibility of further physical abuse or neglect having occurred as a result of my ex wife's addiction and leading up to the need for my daughter to be cared for by someone other than her mother as the custodial parent. After further investigation on my part I learned today that my ex wife has racked up 4 felony arrests in the lpast two years for possession of meth & heroin, robbery, assault, resisting arrest, bail jumping and criminal impersonation - whatever that is?!?

Can anyone please offer any advice on what to do... my daughter doesn't want to leave her mom and I honestly don't know yet if she even needs to. I'm just really worried right now and whatever I do I'd hate to subject my daughter to anymore stress by doing something like calling CSP... which maybe I should. Please help.

please do not start duplicate posts

My ex is required to divulge any major changes in my daughters living situation and I certainly believe this would apply. My proof is my ex's lengthy rap sheet.

Thanks for the help but every question so far was already answered in the original post.

This isn't duplicate. One is about court motions and the other is about abuse. Do you even read these before you respond?

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Quoting Oldspeak

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This isn't duplicate. One is about court motions and the other is about abuse. Do you even read these before you respond?

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it is basically the same as the other post. You are best served by keeping all your questions regarding the exact same situation in one post.

Super helpful forum... thanks a bunch for all the assistance :)

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Quoting Oldspeak

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Super helpful forum... thanks a bunch for all the assistance :)

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it can be, if the people asking questions aren't jerks.