Taylor Frankie Paul Takes Legal Action: Protective Order Filed Against Dakota Mortensen

Taylor Frankie Paul has sought legal protection from her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, following allegations of domestic abuse.

According to the Daily Mail, Paul officially requested a protective order against Mortensen on Tuesday, April 7. While specifics of the filing remain confidential, the action underscores the seriousness of the claims.

Documents reviewed by People reveal that Paul accuses Mortensen of engaging in a “pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control” throughout their time together. She has also detailed multiple instances where she alleges he acted violently towards her.

As part of her case, Paul has provided purported screenshots of text exchanges and photographs of bruises she claims resulted from confrontations with Mortensen.

This legal move comes on the heels of Mortensen obtaining a temporary restraining order against Paul, linked to an alleged altercation that occurred in February 2026.

Paul alleged Mortensen ‘assaulted’ her in a February 23 incident, claiming he slammed ‘her head against the dashboard of his truck and striking her knee and elbow’, according to the documents. 

Taylor Frankie Paul has now filed a restraining order against her ex Dakota Mortensen amid claims of domestic violence

She claimed he did so after he drove her away from her residence against her will. Her three children were allegedly sleeping inside the home at the time. 

Paul has also asked that their two-year-old son Ever receive protection in the order. 

The star – whose season of The Bachelorette was scraped after video of her hurling chairs at Mortensen in 2023 was released – said her ex’s protective order request was an ‘effort to sabotage my career.’ 

The Daily Mail has contacted Mortensen’s representative for comment but did not yet immediately hear back. 

Paul’s history with domestic violence has come back to haunt her just days before her season of The Bachelorette was set to debut. 

It emerged that filming on her other show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, had been paused as she and Mortensen faced an investigation into domestic assault. 

The Draper City Police Department confirmed to People at the time the existence of an open ‘domestic assault investigation’ into Paul and Mortensen.

‘Allegations have been made in both directions,’ a spokesman for the department told the publication, adding ‘contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24 and 25.’

It came three years after Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault over another domestic violence incident with Mortensen. 

The star – whose season of The Bachelorette was scraped after video of her hurling chairs at Mortensen in 2023 was released – said her ex’s protective order request was an ‘effort to sabotage my career’ 

The Daily Mail can confirm that Paul filed for a protective order against Mortensen on Tuesday, April 7

Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in 2023 after she threw chairs at Mortensen with her daughter Indy in the room.

The young girl could be heard crying as the fighting continued, with Mortensen telling Paul that her daughter ‘just got hit in the head by a metal chair.’

Video of the incident was released and led to her Bachelorette downfall, with ABC announcing they would be cancelling her season ‘at this time.’ 

‘In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,’ they said. 

In response to the resurfaced footage, Paul’s representative told the Daily Mail, ‘It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.

Bodycam footage captured the aftermath of Taylor’s chair-throwing incident in 2023

‘Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior.’

Just two days before the video was made public, Mortensen filed for a protective order in Utah, citing a new alleged incident that took place in February 2026.

As part of his filing, he has requested temporary custody of their two-year-old son Ever and asked for Paul to be prohibited from drinking or using drugs during her parenting time.