Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen remain locked in a rapidly intensifying legal battle, with new court filings adding further complexity to their ongoing dispute.
Two weeks after Mortensen was granted temporary custody of their 2-year-old son, Paul filed for a temporary restraining order against him on April 7, according to court documents obtained by multiple outlets.
The filing comes after Mortensen had previously sought his own protective order on March 19, which resulted in him being awarded temporary custody the following day, March 20. A hearing related to the matter was scheduled for April 7.
In her request, Paul alleges that Mortensen engaged in a “pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control” throughout their on-and-off relationship, which lasted from 2022 to 2025. She also claims that his earlier protective order filing was an “effort to sabotage” her career.
The reality star, who appears on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, is asking the court to extend the protective order to include their toddler.
Paul who is also a mother to two children with her ex-husband Tate Paul outlined specific allegations in her filing, including a February 2026 incident that is currently under investigation by Utah authorities. In the documents, she claims Mortensen “slammed her head against the dashboard of his truck and struck her knee and elbow” after allegedly driving her away from her home against her will.
Representatives for both Paul and Mortensen have been contacted for comment but have not yet responded.
Mortensen’s earlier filing tells a different version of events. According to court documents, he alleged that an argument broke out the night before he sought his protective order while he was visiting Paul and their child. He claimed Paul physically assaulted him during the altercation and said he called 911 but was “pressured and manipulated” into hanging up.
He further alleged that the following night at Paul’s home, she threw his phone against a wall and “physically blocked” him from leaving. When he attempted to exit, he said she followed him outside and continued the alleged assault.
“I was unable to safely leave while this was happening,” Mortensen stated in the documents, adding that he pushed her away in self-defense, which caused her to make contact with a car seat.
The legal dispute comes amid renewed scrutiny following the resurfacing of a 2023 video showing a physical altercation between the pair. In the footage, Paul was seen throwing a metal stool at Mortensen, which accidentally struck her daughter.
Paul was arrested following that incident and later pleaded guilty in August 2023 to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault. Four additional charges were dismissed with prejudice. According to court records, her plea was held in abeyance for three years, after which the charge may be reduced to a Class A misdemeanor if she complies with the terms of her agreement.
The fallout from the video also impacted her television career. Her planned season of The Bachelorette was put on hold after the footage surfaced publicly.
At the time, a representative for Paul addressed the situation, stating, “After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
The statement continued, “There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives.”
Mortensen has denied the allegations made against him. In his own statement following the cancellation of the dating show, he said, “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny.”
With both parties now pursuing legal protection against each other, the case is expected to remain under close scrutiny as it unfolds in court.
Source: E! News