The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen have tried to coparent son Ever since their fall 2024 split.
Paul and Mortensen welcomed their first baby together, the MomTok content creator’s third, in March 2024, months before they called it quits. As Paul and Mortensen navigated jointly raising their son, they kept dating on and off.
Paul said that she broke up with Mortensen for good in fall 2025 before she was cast to star on The Bachelorette season 22. Hours before flying to California to kickstart her new journey, Paul revealed on Mormon Wives season 4 that she hooked up with Mortensen again.
Nearly two months after Paul wrapped The Bachelorette, news broke in March 2026 that Salt Lake City police were investigating an alleged domestic violence incident from the month before between the exes.
Keep scrolling for more on Paul and Mortensen’s custody arrangements:
Where Do Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen Stand After Alleged Incident?
A source exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2026 that Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen don’t have “communication at all.”
“Everything regarding custody of Ever is handled through family members,” the insider told Us.
Dakota Mortensen Files for Sole Custody
Dakota Mortensen filed a temporary restraining order against ex Taylor Frankie Paul on March 17, 2026, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. In the filing, Dakota claimed that he and Taylor had an altercation at her house in February 2026 where the Bachelorette allegedly choked him and shoved him into a window.
Dakota claimed that Taylor was “emotionally volatile” and said she wanted to harm herself. Fearing for Ever’s safety, Dakota took the toddler out of the house and requested temporary sole custody of Ever. He also requested that Taylor doesn’t drink or use drugs while watching her kids.
Dakota Mortensen Is Focused on Son Ever
After news broke of Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen’s alleged investigation, the DadTok star issued a statement.
“His number one priority here is protecting Ever,” a rep for Mortensen told Entertainment Weekly in March 2026. “He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor. It’s been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to coparent well.”
The statement continued, “He was just hoping that if he says nothing, as he usually does, it would go away. He’s never done any kind of sit-down interview about his side. He kind of just lets it all happen to him, and I think he realizes with the severity of everything now that he just can’t do that.”
A source also told Us that Mortensen tried to “be supportive and stay out of the way” after Paul returned to Utah from The Bachelorette production.
What Has Taylor Frankie Paul Said About the Incident and Coparenting?
Taylor Frankie Paul broke her silence on the accusations in an exclusive interview with Us at a March 17, 2026, press event for her season of The Bachelorette.
“It’s been hard, and it sucks to be in this position,” the influencer told Us, denying reports of child abuse. “[As] the mother that I am, that is something I will always stand my ground on. I believe that I am a good mother and I have always treated my kids very well. … I have always treated my children with respect and I’ve never touched them.”
Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen Went to Court Over Custody Arrangements in 2025
According to court records obtained by TMZ in March 2026, Dakota Mortensen filed for custody and child support in June 2025 before Taylor Frankie Paul subsequently filed a counterclaim. The outlet further reported that a proposed order was still pending by September 2025.
Inside Taylor Frankie Paul’s Coparenting Dynamic With Ex-Husband Tate Paul
Taylor Frankie Paul and Tate Paul welcomed daughter Indy and son Ocean before their 2022 divorce amid their viral “soft-swinging” scandal.
“He and I have always been really good friends,” Taylor told Us in her March 2026 cover story. “I have a very healthy coparenting relationship.”
Two years earlier, Taylor revealed in a 2023 TikTok video that she and Tate have a “cordial” and “easy” arrangement.
“We made it a goal to get along and be friends, and make it the best experience we possibly can for our kids and ourselves,” she said at the time. “It’s been very flexible where we have our schedule, but if anything changes, and someone wants to take them somewhere for something, we’re, like, ‘Go for it.’”
Were Taylor Frankie Paul’s ‘Bachelorette’ Suitors Aware of Her Drama With Dakota Mortensen?
Taylor Frankie Paul told Us in March 2026 that she spoke with the cast of The Bachelorette about her exes and life as a single mom of three during season 22.
“I was very open with them, especially those that asked, because I really told everyone as a whole if there’s anything you want to know, please let me know,” she told Us on March 18, 2026. “I wasn’t trying to shove everything down their throat of that in my life, [but] I wanted to tell them what they wanted to know … Especially the ones towards the end, I was open with the situation. So yeah, I was very honest.”
Taylor’s Bachelorette season was ultimately canceled by ABC following the release of footage showing her throwing chairs at Dakota Mortensen in a domestic violence incident in February 2023. (Taylor was arrested at the time and ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.)
Dakota Mortensen Granted Temporary Custody of Son Ever
A judge granted Dakota Mortensen’s request for temporary custody of Ever on March 20, 2026, as well as a temporary protective order against Taylor Frankie Paul.
Both Mortensen and Taylor appeared in court to discuss visitation on April 7, 2026. During the hearing, Taylor’s legal team claimed that Mortensen assaulted her in his truck in an alleged incident in February 2026. A guardian for Ever claimed that Taylor shoved Mortensen while he was holding the child in his arms during an alleged incident in May 2025.
Mortensen’s team argued that Taylor uses Ever as a “pawn” and said that Mortensen is trying to protect their son. Meanwhile, Taylor’s team claimed that Mortensen has used Ever as a “human shield” and that the child is “safe” around Taylor.
A judge ultimately sided with Mortensen and granted Taylor supervised time with Ever for eight hours per week until their protective hearing on April 30, at which point Taylor’s parenting time restrictions will be reevaluated.
Ahead of the April 7 hearing, Taylor filed for a temporary protective order against Mortensen.
Judge Rules on Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen’s Protective Orders
Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen appeared in court on April 30, 2026, as a judge issued mutual protective orders, stating that they have to stay 100 feet away from each other for three years.
“This has been a very toxic relationship. It’s beyond the pale in a lot of ways, the toxicity,” the judge stated during the hearing. “What I’ve seen from the evidence even post [the] last hearing, there seems to be a continuing attraction that they have for each other.”
The judge stated that they would “leave the current order in place” before making any further rulings.
“You guys have to figure out a lot here. You have to figure out how to function as coparents,” they added. “I’m hoping that you’re not people who just thrive on the drama and the conflict. You’ve got to put your child first and shield the child from this conflict.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
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