He Said She Said: Derek Richard Thomas Fires Back at Demi Moore's Custody Court Claims

When celebrity family drama spills into court documents, the gloves come off—and the accusations fly from every direction. That’s exactly what’s happening in the custody battle between Rumer Willis and her ex, Derek Richard Thomas, over their 3-year-old daughter Louetta, with her mother Demi Moore now wading into the legal fight as well.

The‘Substance’star recently made some pretty serious allegations in court filings, claiming that Derek Richard Thomas“appears to want to dictate and control Rumer’s environment”and lacks“any respect, care, concern, compassion or support”toward Rumer and the baby. But in his latest court response, Derek Richard Thomas isn’t taking those claims lying down.

In new legal documents filed this week, Derek Richard Thomas denies ever behaving“aggressively or inappropriately”—and he’s turning the tables hard. He claims Rumer“has launched a coordinated media attack across dozens of outlets”against him, and then flips the script further by accusing Rumer of exploiting their daughter in sponsored content featuring“adult sexual humor”that he never consented to. It’s a sharp counter-punch in an already heated dispute.

Derek Richard Thomas also paints himself as a devoted, present father. He claims he’s FaceTimed Louetta every single day for over a year and has made repeated attempts to see her in person—attempts he says Rumer keeps blocking with ever-changing conditions. He even alleges Rumer moved Louetta to Idaho under the guise that it was temporary (to escape post-wildfire air quality from the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires) but then tried to establish residency there, which looks a lot like parental relocation without his buy-in.

The financial picture adds another layer. Derek Richard Thomas pushes back on claims he’s on drugs and doesn’t support Louetta financially, telling the court he’d be willing to pay reasonable child support based on his $2,350 average monthly income. He’s also proposed a detailed interim parenting plan with specific visitation dates, holiday schedules, overnight stays, and communication protocols—essentially asking the court to impose some structure on what he calls“an otherwise chaotic and unreasonable situation for Louetta.”

Rumer and Derek Richard Thomas split in 2024, roughly a year after their daughter’s birth. This custody battle shows no signs of cooling down anytime soon, and with Demi Moore now weighing in with her own court testimony, the stakes keep climbing—not for the adults involved, but for a 3-year-old caught in the middle.