Actress Rumer Willis and musician Danny Thomas have entered a courtroom showdown over the custody of their 2‑year‑old daughter, Louetta. After Willis moved the child from Los Angeles to Sun Valley, Idaho, Thomas sued in July 2025, claiming the relocation was unilateral and that Idaho courts could be biased. Both sides now trade allegations of emotional abuse, substance use and restrictive visitation terms.

Thomas’s July 2025 Petition Claims Idaho Is an Improper Venue

In the petition filed in July 2025 , Danny Thomas argues that Willis’s move to Idaho was made without his consent, describing it as a “temporary evacuation” for wildfire safety that became permanent. he contends that his family’s deep roots in Idaho could influence the legal process, and threfore requests that California retain jurisdiction. Thomas seeks joint legal and physical custody, insisting his motivation is love for his daughter.

Willis’s Counter‑Allegations of Emotional Abuse and Daily Marijuana Use

Rumer Willis counters that Thomas was aware of, and agreed to, the relocation, and that she has offered paid travel, housing and vehicle use for his visits—offers Thomas has allegedly declined. She alleges a pattern of emotional abuse during Louetta’s first 14 months, describing incidents that lasted hours, sometimes in the child’s presence and even in a locked car. Willis has asked the court to order drug testing for Thomas, citing chronic daily marijuana use that she says fuels his behavior.

Visitation Dispute: Six‑Hour Daily Schedule vs. Nanny Safeguard

According to court documents, an August 2025 agreement gave Thomas six hours of visitation per day, three to four days a week, in either Los Angeles or Idaho . Willis now seeks to preserve that schedule while also demanding that Thomas’s girlfriend be barred from visits, citing his “known history of fighting in relationships, and in front of the child.” She proposes that a nanny be empowered to remove Louetta immediately if an altercation occurs.

Judicial Moves: California Jurisdiction Upheld, Mediation Ordered

The court dismissed Willis’s attempt to have Thomas’s petition thrown out in January 2026, effectively keeping California as the appropriate jurisdiction. Both parties have agreed to mediation before a private judge, a step that suggests a willingness to avoid a protracted trial but does not erase the deep animosity evident in the filings.

Unresolved Issues: Who Controls Future Relocation Decisions?

Key questions remain unanswered: Will the court allow Willis to keep Louetta in Idaho long‑term, and what weight will Thomas’s abuse and drug use allegations carry in a custody evaluation? The filings do not include any statements from Thomas’s girlfriend, leaving her role in the dispute unclear.

As the case proceeds, both sides continue to cite the other’s motives as self‑serving, and the court’s next rulings will shape the practical realities of Louetta’s upbringing.