Child Custody Investigations
Document who provides care, how exchanges occur and what can be observed about a specific safety concern.
Private Investigation for Fathers in Washington
If your caregiving role is disputed or parenting time is not happening as expected, a dated account can help explain what is going on. We work with Washington fathers to document routines, exchanges and specific concerns through lawful observation, records and witness interviews. We report what the evidence supports, including gaps and facts that may differ from the original account.
Document the parenting issue in front of you
Start with a missed exchange, a disputed allegation or a question about care. The existing order and the child’s actual routine help define which facts are worth investigating.
Parental Kidnapping and Unauthorized Removal Investigations
Preserve child-location leads and a movement timeline for counsel or law enforcement after an unauthorized removal. Immediate danger requires emergency help.
Parenting Plan Investigations
Compare dated exchanges, missed time and communications with the current parenting plan.
Parental Fitness Investigations
Record specific supervision, caregiving and environmental observations. We do not diagnose a parent or perform a custody evaluation.
Right of First Refusal Investigations
Check who provided care, when and what notice was given against the order’s right-of-first-refusal terms.
Relocation Investigations
Verify residence and movement dates around a proposed or disputed move. Counsel handles relocation procedure and legal decisions.
Gather records and independent observations
We may review records you can lawfully provide, speak with someone who witnessed an exchange or observe a relevant routine. The method depends on the event and the information still missing.
Surveillance Services
Record observable exchange or caregiving activity from lawful locations, with dates and the limits of what could be seen.
Witness Interview Services
Ask witnesses what they personally saw, when it occurred and which records or other people may corroborate it.
Background Check Services
Check relevant court, business or property records, taking care to match them to the correct person.
Social Media Investigation Services
Preserve relevant public posts with source URLs and date context; check whether they actually relate to the event in dispute.
Plan around the places your child’s routine happens
Identify the court, exchange locations, witnesses and relevant records, including those in another county. The filing county may be different from the places where observation or interviews are needed.
Use the actual parenting schedule and records of care as the starting point. The same standards of documentation apply to either parent; gender does not establish what happened.
Check Statewide Forms Against Local Requirements
The Washington Courts forms directory provides statewide forms and notes that individual courts may require additional forms or local rules. Check the instructions for the court handling your matter with your attorney. An investigative report does not replace a required declaration or filing.
Prepare dates and originals for review
Bring the current order, hearing date and a chronology of disputed events. Label your own observations separately from allegations or secondhand accounts. Preserve original messages and files, and confirm authority before sharing school, medical or other private records.
Before approving work, identify the observation locations and travel needed. Lite service is $150/hour and Heavy is $300/hour per investigator; preparation and report writing are each $150/hour, while office round-trip travel from 539 Broadway, Tacoma costs $2.50/minute. Time other than travel rounds up to one-hour blocks. Each purchased service hour carries a 10% expense credit ($15 Lite or $30 Heavy); credits on hours used pay only that task’s expenses and expire at report delivery. Unused hours retain their credits under the carryover rules. Surcharges and additional expenses are paid separately, not deducted from service hours. Extra communication outside the work included with or purchased for the task costs $150/hour, prepaid separately. Review the Washington pricing rules before confirming the prepaid scope and schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions for Fathers in Washington
Can a PI help document that I am the primary caregiver?
Lawful observations, witness accounts and records you are authorized to provide can help document caregiving dates and routines. School and medical information requires proper access authority; an investigation does not create that authority. We separate observed facts from statements and gaps in the record.
What if I dispute allegations made against me?
We can compare the specific allegation with dates, records and witness accounts, and identify facts that support or contradict it. Bring the allegation as stated and the records you lawfully hold. Your attorney determines how to use the findings; the investigation does not promise to disprove a claim.
Can a PI help with parenting plan violations?
Yes. We can document late returns, missed exchanges, caregiver use and other conduct relevant to the actual plan. The report describes the event and its evidence; counsel assesses whether it is a violation and what action to take.
Do you work with fathers who do not yet have a custody order?
Yes. We can document existing caregiving arrangements before a parenting plan is entered, including in a parentage matter. Without an order, we do not label conduct a breach of one. Counsel advises you on the legal process.
Need to document a parenting concern?
Tell us the event, the dates and the arrangement or order in place. We will discuss what can be verified, what records to preserve and the cost of a focused assignment.