A court hearing involving Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen revealed new allegations and resulted in a temporary custody decision regarding their 2-year-old son, Ever.
The two appeared virtually in Utah court on April 7, where a judge reviewed their ongoing custody dispute amid multiple domestic violence investigations.
Custody Decision and Court Focus
The hearing centered on determining temporary parenting time ahead of a more extensive court date scheduled for April 30, when both parties’ restraining order requests will be addressed.
Mortensen’s legal team pushed for stricter limitations, requesting that Paul’s visits with their son be supervised through a neutral third-party facility. His attorney argued that such measures were necessary for safety, describing Paul’s behavior as “out of control” and “completely reckless.”
Paul’s attorney, however, urged the court to maintain their previous custody arrangement — approximately 70% of the time with Paul and 30% with Mortensen — which had been in place since August 2025.
They also challenged Mortensen’s credibility, asking the court to focus on more recent interactions between the pair rather than past incidents.
Conflicting Accounts of Alleged Incident
During the hearing, attorneys discussed a February 22 encounter between Paul and Mortensen, where the former couple met in a truck to discuss their relationship.
According to Paul’s attorney, the two sides have vastly different versions of what occurred.
The attorney told the court there is a “huge divergence” between their accounts, alleging that Mortensen “grabbed her head during the course of this argument and slammed her head on the dashboard” and struck “her knee and elbow.”
Following the incident, Paul’s legal team claimed Mortensen remained outside her home attempting to reengage.
“This supposed victim of domestic violence asks her … ‘Do you want to f—?’ ” Paul’s attorney stated in court.
They argued that this behavior undermines claims that he posed a danger to the children, emphasizing that any conflict occurs between the adults rather than involving the child directly.
Claims of Escalation and Child Safety Concerns
Mortensen’s attorney pointed to previous incidents, including one in May 2025, where he was allegedly holding their child during a dispute.
In response, Paul’s attorney claimed Mortensen used Ever “as a human shield” during that altercation and suggested he was provoking her.
They maintained that the children are not at risk as long as the two parents remain separated.
Judge Recommends Supervised Parenting Time
After reviewing the arguments and evidence presented, the judge recommended that Paul have supervised parenting time for eight hours per week over the next 23 days.
The temporary ruling will remain in place until the next hearing on April 30, where the court will make further determinations regarding the protective orders.
Ongoing Legal History
The latest developments come amid a complicated history between the two.
In February 2023, Paul was involved in a domestic violence incident in which she admitted to throwing metal stools during an argument while her child was present. Although initial charges were later dismissed, she ultimately pleaded guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault and remains on probation through August.
More recently, additional incidents in February 2026 have been referenced in court filings.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, Mortensen alleged that Paul choked him during a February 23 altercation and that he acted in self-defense.
“I was unable to safely leave while this was happening, and my child had been left inside the home during the chaos under her watch due to our custody agreement,” Mortensen stated.
He added that he “pushed her away from [him], which she made contact with the passenger seat.”
A separate incident the following day allegedly involved another altercation inside a vehicle.
Show Impact and Public Response
Amid the ongoing legal situation, filming for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was paused in March.
A source told Entertainment Weekly that production was not underway during the alleged incidents and that Paul’s children were not present at the time.
Paul shares two additional children with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.
Taylor Frankie Paul Speaks Out
Following weeks of legal and personal turmoil, Paul recently shared a message on Instagram reflecting on her experience.
“The last 40 days felt like hell on earth. Through every panic attack I prayed for strength as I could feel my body breaking down and out from the distress of it all,” she wrote.
“And HE sent just that in various ways along with so many undeniable signs saying ‘I am with you’ which I can’t wait to share that part.”
She continued, “I’ve prayed since I was young and never strayed away because I believe he wants us to ask for help especially during our lowest points.”
“However, instead of just asking I switched over to thanking him at the end of each day no matter how low I felt.”
What’s Next
Paul and Mortensen are expected to return to court on April 30, where a judge will evaluate the merits of their respective restraining order filings and determine a longer-term custody arrangement.
Until then, the temporary supervised visitation schedule will remain in effect.
