' ex-boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas is pushing back on allegations made in court papers by the actress and her mother Demi Moore that he had been abusive and controlling to her, as they raise their three-year-old daughter, Louetta.
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Derek Richard Thomas Fires Back in Custody Battle
Rumer Willis' ex-boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas is pushing back on allegations made in court papers by the actress and her mother Demi Moore that he had been ab...
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Rumer, 37, the eldest daughter of A-listers Moore, 63, and , 71, is in an ongoing custody battle with Thomas, who she split with in 2024.
Thomas said he'd never acted 'aggressively or inappropriately' in his time with Willis in a Tuesday court filing in reviewed by the Daily Mail, amid the former couple's yearlong custody row.
'Our relationship ended because we were incompatible, and it was not working,' Thomas said. 'That is not .'
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Thomas's lawyer Michael J. Kretzmer told the Daily Mail Wednesday that his client 'is a devoted, caring and loving father to Louetta,' and 'that is his concern and only interest going forward.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Willis for further comment on the story.
Rumer Willis' ex-boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas denied allegations made by the actress and her mother Demi Moore in a new legal filing. Pictured in LA in October of 2023
Thomas said he'd never acted 'aggressively or inappropriately' in his time with Willis in a court filing reviewed by the Daily Mail
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Thomas told the court that he remains in contact via FaceTime with Louetta, vowing to provide an environment 'that will stabilize what has been an otherwise chaotic and unreasonable situation for' the child, should the court award him custody.
Thomas is seeking clarified structure in his custody arrangement, claiming in court docs that Willis continues changing the 'conditions' of their arrangement over Louetta. Pictured 2023
Demi Moore, pictured with daughter Rumer in 2020, said in a court filing that Thomas 'appears to want to dictate and control Rumer’s environment to his needs'
Rumer, 37, the eldest daughter of A-listers Moore, 63, and Bruce Willis , 71, is in an ongoing custody battle with Thomas, who she split with in 2024
Moore said in a court filing earlier this year that Thomas 'appears to want to dictate and control Rumer’s environment to his needs.'
Demi Moore claimed her daughter's ex-partner and father of her child exhibited 'aggressive' behavior as she gave birth in a bombshell court declaration this year
Rumer Willis, 37, welcomed daughter Louetta, now three, with Derek Richard Thomas in April 2023 - but their relationship ended the following year, with a child custody battle exploding between the pair since July 2025 - pictured March 2023
Moore alleged in a declaration that Rumer is 'doing 100 percent of the financial and physical support' for Louetta, claiming Thomas has 'refused to make any effort and has shown no desire to seek out means to support Louetta
Moore wrote: 'I heard him pressure Rumer not to have me and her sisters there with her for support. I heard him berate and angrily complain to Rumer, "How dare we come over without his permission."'
Moore claimed: 'While Rumer was giving birth to Louetta in the birthing tub, Derek, without asking, and without having showered, got into the birthing tub in an aggressive and sudden manner' - Willis and Thomas are pictured holding hands during the home birth
Moore is pictured comforting her daughter during the birth
Willis said in a May 13 filing in Los Angeles Superior Court that Thomas' alleged 'incessant domestic violence in the form of coercive control' was the reason their relationship ended.
Moore wrote in her declaration: 'From the time of my daughter’s pregnancy, I witnessed Rumer under a constant state of stress. She stated often that she was not receiving any sensitivity or support from Derek'
Thomas denied all allegations of domestic abuse in documents filed in early 2026, but acknowledged the relationship was 'unhealthy and appropriately came to an end.'
'I have committed no acts of domestic violence in any form, including any active ‘coercive control' adding 'it was not at all characterized by any violence, physical or emotional attacks or intimidation on my part' he wrote.
'The decision to end the relationship between myself and [Rumer] was a mutual decision made in our mutual best interests.'
Willis also alleged in 2026 that Thomas does not pay child support 'nor has he ever offered to pay for anything that Louetta needs.'
She alleged in the May 13 court filing he does not work and earns $3,000 a month from royalties - claiming Thomas expects her and her 'wealthy family to take care of everything financially, emotionally, and physically
Per income and expense documents filed this year, Willis said she made more than $4800 a month with her production company and $4,000 to $5000 a month from her rental property.
She claimed that she spends around $15,000 to $21,000 a month on other expenses such as childcare and groceries.
Willis said she does not rely on her wealthy parents to pay her expenses and 'is no longer willing to support [his] visitation or pay for all of Louetta’s expenses.'
Thomas' lawyer told the Daily Mail: 'Mr. Thomas is a caring devoted and loving father to Louetta. It is, to put it mildly, unfortunate that Ms. Willis has sought to obstruct Mr. Thomas' relationship with Louetta without justification of any kind whatsoever'
Willis also spoke of her 'extremely ill' father, retired actor Bruce Willis , who has dementia in the documents, saying: '[Thomas] knows that many of my visits to Los Angeles since [my] move to Idaho have been to visit my father and for Louetta to spend time with her grandfather
Thomas claimed to make $3600 a month from his occupation as a 'musician, educator and entrepreneur.'
The original petition to determine the parental relationship saw Thomas request an order for child custody and visitation, claiming Willis had permanently moved to Sun Valley, Idaho with Louetta in 2024, without his consent. Willis denies this.
Thomas requested joint legal and physical custody of Louetta and child visitation - with Willis filing a motion to dismiss his petition in August 2025. She claimed Louetta's home state was Idaho but this case was itself dismissed in January 2026, with California found to be the correct state.
Per the document, Willis claimed she had offered to pay for Thomas to visit Louetta in Idaho and he has allegedly refused.
In subsequent court documents, she claimed Thomas was offered a place to stay on Moore's Sun Valley property where Louetta and Willis live, but he allegedly 'forfeited visits.'
The former couple agreed to mediation with a private judge in September 2025.
Willis last month in her court filing asked for primary physical custody and for a custody evaluation as well as drug testing for Thomas due to his alleged 'history of chronic daily marijuana use and evidence of behavior indicative of someone under the influence of drugs for extended periods of time.'
Thomas responded in a declaration: 'This is false' and 'I have previously used marijuana as legally allowed and at no point did I engage in the use of marijuana to such a degree as to render me unable to fully and properly fulfill my duties and obligations as Louetta’ s father.'
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