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 forged to star on The Bachelorette season 22. Hours before flying to California to kickstart her recent journey, Paul revealed on Mormon Wives season 4 that she attached 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 in any respect.”
“Every little thing regarding custody of Ever is handled through members of the family,” the insider told Us.
Dakota Mortensen Files for Sole Custody
Dakota Mortensen filed a brief restraining order against ex Taylor Frankie Paul on March 17, 2026, in response to court documents obtained by TMZ. Within 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 right into a window.
Dakota claimed that Taylor was “emotionally volatile” and said she desired to harm herself. Fearing for Ever’s safety, Dakota took the toddler out of the home 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 press release.
“His primary 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 this because he has all the time wanted an honest relationship with Taylor. It’s been really hard to realize that, but he desires to coparent well.”
The statement continued, “He was just hoping that if he says nothing, as he often does, it will go away. He’s never done any type of sit-down interview about his side. He type of just lets all of it occur to him, and I feel he realizes with the severity of all the pieces now that he just can’t do this.”
A source also told Us that Mortensen tried to “be supportive and stay out of the way in which” after Paul returned to Utah from The Bachelorette production.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen never shied away from addressing their messy — and oftentimes volatile — relationship ahead of their multiple domestic disputes. Before the show premiered on Hulu in September 2024, Taylor and Dakota began dating following her divorce from husband Tate Paul within the wake […]
What Has Taylor Frankie Paul Said In regards to 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 on this position,” the influencer told Us, denying reports of kid abuse. “[As] the mother that I’m, that’s something I’ll all the time stand my ground on. I imagine that I’m mother and I even have all the time treated my kids thoroughly. … I even have all the time 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
Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul on the ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ reunion. Disney/Fred Hayes
Based on 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 even have all the time been really good friends,” Taylor told Us in her March 2026 cover story. “I even have a really 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 very best experience we possibly can for our children and ourselves,” she said on the time. “It’s been very flexible where we’ve our schedule, but when anything changes, and someone desires 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 forged of The Bachelorette about her exes and life as a single mom of three during season 22.
“I used to be very open with them, especially people who asked, because I actually told everyone as an entire if there’s anything you would like to know, please let me know,” she told Us on March 18, 2026. “I wasn’t attempting to shove all the pieces down their throat of that in my life, [but] I desired to tell them what they desired to know … Especially those towards the top, I used to be open with the situation. So yeah, I used to be very honest.”
Taylor’s Bachelorette season was ultimately canceled by ABC following the discharge of footage showing her throwing chairs at Dakota Mortensen in a domestic violence incident in February 2023. (Taylor was arrested on 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, in addition to a brief protective order against Taylor Frankie Paul.
Each Mortensen and Taylor appeared in court to debate visitation on April 7, 2026. In the course of 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 kid 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 attempting to protect their son. Meanwhile, Taylor’s team claimed that Mortensen has used Ever as a “human shield” and that the kid is “secure” 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 probably be reevaluated.
Ahead of the April 7 hearing, Taylor filed for a brief 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 must stay 100 feet away from one another for 3 years.
“This has been a really toxic relationship. It’s beyond the pale in a variety of ways, the toxicity,” the judge stated through the hearing. “What I’ve seen from the evidence even post [the] last hearing, there appears to be a seamless attraction that they’ve for one another.”
The judge stated that they might “leave the present order in place” before making any further rulings.
“You guys must work out lots here. You might have to work out the way to function as coparents,” they added. “I’m hoping that you just’re not individuals who just thrive on the drama and the conflict. You’ve got to place your child first and shield the kid from this conflict.”
In case you or someone you recognize is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.