Child Custody Investigations
Document caregiving routines, exchanges and specific safety concerns through lawful observations and records.
Private Investigation for Mothers in Washington
When a child’s routine changes or accounts of an exchange conflict, you may need help establishing the details. We support Washington mothers with lawful investigation of caregiving, parenting-plan concerns, relocation and financial support. We work from specific events and records so you and your attorney can assess the facts without filling gaps with assumptions.
Care, parenting time and support questions
Tell us what happened, when it happened and how it affects your child’s routine or household. That gives us a starting point for deciding what can be verified.
Parental Kidnapping and Unauthorized Removal Investigations
Preserve child-location leads and dated communications after an unauthorized removal for counsel or law enforcement. Do not wait for a PI if a child is in immediate danger.
Parenting Plan Investigations
Compare exchanges, missed time and messages with the actual parenting-plan terms.
Parental Fitness Investigations
Check specific concerns about supervision, care or the environment through observable facts. We do not diagnose a parent or act as a custody evaluator.
Relocation Investigations
Verify residence and movement dates and gather facts about the child’s routine in a relocation dispute.
Financial Support Investigations
Research work activity, residence and financial leads for your attorney to assess in a support matter.
How the facts can be checked
Some concerns need an independent observation; others can be clarified through a witness or a record you already hold. We discuss the least speculative source for the question before planning the work.
Surveillance Services
Observe relevant routines or exchanges from lawful locations and report what was visible, with dates and available supporting media.
Background Check Services
Review relevant court, business and property records while checking identity matches and access restrictions.
Witness Interview Services
Ask witnesses about specific events and distinguish what they saw from what they heard from someone else.
Digital Forensics Services
Preserve authorized messages, files and images with their source details and sequence. We do not access another person’s private accounts without lawful authority.
Account for the child’s routine across counties
List the court handling the matter and the places where care, exchanges or relevant work activity occur. Witnesses and records may be in another county, which affects the scope and travel needed.
Keep your firsthand observations separate from concerns someone else reported. Both may provide leads, but the report should make clear who knows each fact and how.
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.
Bring the order and the events that concern you
A current order, hearing date, dated event list and original communications help us assess the assignment. Keep annotations in a separate copy. Do not obtain recordings or enter private accounts to prepare for intake without lawful authority.
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 Mothers in Washington
Can a PI help if I am concerned about my children's safety during the other parent's time?
If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. For concerns that can be investigated safely, lawful observations and witness information may clarify specific caregiving events. Findings describe what was observed and any gaps; they cannot guarantee a child's safety or establish everything that happens during the other parent's time.
What if the father is not following the parenting plan?
We can document late returns, missed exchanges, overnight guests, substance-use observations or other conduct relevant to the plan’s actual terms. The findings describe what was established and its limits. Your attorney decides whether the evidence supports enforcement, contempt or a modification request.
Can a PI help with a relocation case?
Yes. Whether you propose or oppose a move, factual work may address school options, employment needs, family support, community ties and the child’s established routine. Counsel determines which issues are legally relevant and handles notice and court procedure.
Is it safe to hire a PI if there is a domestic violence history?
An investigation can create risks if it is discovered, so safety must be assessed before work begins. If you or a child are in immediate danger, call 911. Use a safe contact method and discuss active orders, possible escalation and a safety plan with a qualified advocate or attorney. We assess whether any lawful investigative work is appropriate; safety cannot be guaranteed.
Need help documenting what has been happening?
Describe the concern, the dates and any current order. Let us know a safe way to contact you so we can discuss whether investigative work is appropriate and what it would involve.