How do I fight for visitition rights for my step kids?

[Step Dad Hodo]

Everett, Washington. Hello All, Im Mike and need some advice on how I can get my wife's ex husband to stay out of our marraige and personal lives and let us have our visit's with my 2 step daughter's age 9 and 10. Im 32 and have a long history of assualts on my record from which most was from my early 20's. I do have 1 new recent charge from 3 months ago, but since then have taken and graduated anger manangement with a certificate, and also am starting a new anger management class, and also domestic violence class that a plan on also completing. Me and my wife also plan on taking parenting classes together. Were both in counsling at this time. My wife has not seen her 2 biological girls in a almost 2 yrs. We live in Washington state, and the girls live with there dad in W Viginia. Me and my wife have been together for 5 yrs and 2 1/2 yrs. Are whole time me and my wife have been married her ex husband has gotten ahold of my criminal records and learned of my past. I have no other charges on my record, No drugs, no anything except assualts. My wife left him due to him being abusive to her kids. But she never turned him in for it. so his record is clean. He has an attorney his family pays for and manipulates the system, while me and my wife cant afford and attorney. and the ex's keep getting away with stuff like not following the parental plan, and not putting the girls in counsling like the judge said before they moved out of state. Since my new assualt charge he ex husband talked to my wife telling her to divorce me or never see her kids again. I do have domestic violence with my wife from a yr and a half ago, but since then have worked on our marriage and we really love eachother. So now were getting a divorce in Dec. and still plan on being together and not telling her ex husband until I complete all my classes. I have no child abuse on my record at all and I really love my wife and sted daughters very much. Does anyone have any advice or helpful tips.

[tbyte]

The father is required by law to follow the visitation schedule allowed for the mother. If he interferes with this, regularly, you can file contempt charges against him.
However...if you did this right now he would surely, and justifiable, raise the issue of your CURRENT criminal behavior in court, after which the court might very well further restrict your wife's visitation.
Yes, CURRENT criminal behavior.
Anybody on this forum can read between the lines and see that you are NOT in control of yourself. I can tell you, with nearly 100% certainty, that a court will come to the same conclusion.
You, and your wife, have screwed up, as I am sure you are ready to admit. It is going to take time, patience, and humility to repair this. You need to, basically, put up with the father until you have been out of trouble for a full year. Then, start insisting that the visitation schedule be followed precisely. Then, I'd let one more year go by so that you can show that you and your wife have followed the visitation rules and demonstrated a commitment to the child before going back to court and asking for expanded visitation.
On the plus side, you appear very intelligent and well-spoken in your post. I believe that with time you and your wife can put your lives together.
Good luck.