Taylor Frankie Paul Granted Temporary Protective Order Against Ex Dakota Mortensen
A judge has approved a temporary protective order for reality television star Taylor Frankie Paul against her former partner Dakota Mortensen. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Mortensen has been ordered to remain at least 100 yards away from Paul until their scheduled hearing on April 30.
Court Restrictions and Mutual Allegations
The court order explicitly prohibits Mortensen from contacting Paul through any means, including email, text messages, phone calls, or other forms of communication. This development follows Mortensen previously securing a temporary protective order against Paul, creating a situation where both individuals have legal restrictions against one another.
The upcoming April 30 hearing will determine whether these temporary orders will be made permanent. The Daily Mail has reached out to Mortensen's representative for comment but has not yet received a response.
Allegations of Abuse and Violent Incidents
Paul filed for her protective order on Tuesday, alleging in court documents obtained by People that Mortensen demonstrated a "pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control" throughout their relationship. She described multiple instances of alleged violence, including a February 23 incident where she claims Mortensen slammed her head against his truck's dashboard and struck her knee and elbow.
Paul provided alleged screenshots of text messages and photographs of bruises she claims resulted from disputes with Mortensen. She also requested that their two-year-old son, Ever, receive protection under the order.
The documents detail that during the February 23 incident, Mortensen allegedly drove Paul away from her residence against her will while her three children, including their shared son, were sleeping inside the home.
Background of Domestic Violence Allegations
Both parties have accused each other of domestic violence. Last month, Mortensen obtained a temporary restraining order against Paul, characterizing her as an "immediate threat" to his safety. Paul has countered that Mortensen's protective order request represents an "effort to sabotage my career."
Paul's season of The Bachelorette was canceled after video surfaced in 2023 showing her throwing chairs at Mortensen while their daughter was present in the room. ABC announced they would not proceed with her season "at this time" following the video's release.
Additional Allegations and Investigation
In court filings, Paul accused Mortensen of domestic violence on four separate occasions, along with allegations of assault, harassment, and stalking. She described an incident where Mortensen allegedly arrived at her home in the early hours of February 23 demanding to speak with her, despite her children being asleep inside.
Paul claimed she acquiesced to Mortensen's demands and went outside to talk, after which they entered his vehicle and he drove away from the property against her wishes. The filing alleges the argument escalated to physical violence during this car ride.
Paul also referenced a May 27, 2025 verbal argument at her residence where she claims Mortensen refused to leave her home. During this confrontation, she alleges she lost her footing and Mortensen began kicking her, resulting in injuries documented with photographs.
Stalking Allegations and Tattoo Incident
In a particularly unusual allegation, Paul accused Mortensen of stalking her on February 14, claiming he had her initials tattooed inside his lip and sent her a picture of the ink. In a sworn declaration, Paul stated, "My initials are now permanently tattooed on the body of a man who has been abusive toward and possessive of me."
Another incident allegedly occurred on February 22 when Mortensen stopped by Paul's house early in the morning while their son Ever was struggling to sleep at his father's home. Court documents claim Mortensen rejected Paul's repeated demands to leave her residence after confronting her about their relationship ending.
Police Investigations and Legal History
The Draper City Police Department confirmed to People the existence of an open "domestic assault investigation" involving both Paul and Mortensen. A department spokesman noted that "allegations have been made in both directions" and that contact was made with involved parties on February 24 and 25.
This investigation follows Paul's 2023 guilty plea to aggravated assault for throwing chairs at Mortensen while their daughter was present. Video of this incident led to ABC canceling her Bachelorette season.
Custody Arrangements and Additional Investigation
Mortensen was granted temporary custody of their two-year-old son Ever as part of his protective order filing. He requested that Paul be prohibited from drinking or using drugs during her parenting time and alleged that a verbal argument turned physical when Paul allegedly choked him.
After an April 7 hearing, a judge ruled that Paul would be allowed up to eight hours of supervised visitation with her son each week. This temporary custody arrangement will remain in effect until the April 30 court hearing.
NBC News reported last month that Paul is under investigation for a third domestic violence allegation made by Mortensen regarding a 2024 incident. The West Jordan Police Department in Utah confirmed they are investigating allegations reported at the end of February 2026, with detectives reviewing video believed to have been recorded in early to mid-2024.
A police statement obtained by the Daily Mail emphasized that "no charges have been filed, as the investigation remains ongoing" and that the case is being handled "in the same manner as any other investigation."
