Taylor Frankie Paul, a former contestant on “The Bachelorette,” reportedly experienced two miscarriages just before an incident of domestic violence with her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, in February, according to her lawyer in court.
Paul and Mortensen appeared in a Salt Lake City court on Thursday to discuss custody of their two-year-old son, Ever, and conflicting requests for protection they’d both made.
According to Us Weekly, Paul’s lawyer revealed during the hearing that his client had experienced previous miscarriages, information that hadn’t been shared before. This was done to help explain Paul’s state of mind at the time of the events.
Their relationship was going through a really tough patch, according to her lawyer, who shared this information during a live broadcast of the court hearing. The situation was made even harder by the fact that his client had recently experienced two miscarriages.
As a longtime follower of the case, I understand the lawyer for Paul clarified that the miscarriages occurred before the fight with Mortensen. That confrontation started on February 23rd and unfortunately continued into the next day.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Paul and Mortensen for comment.
During the court hearing, both Paul and Mortensen were found to have acted violently in incidents believed to be cases of domestic abuse.
According to People magazine, District Commissioner Russell Minas informed Paul, age 31, and Mortensen, age 33, that both of them had previously acted violently.
Following the hearing, court records show Judge Minas approved protective orders for both Paul and Mortensen, preventing them from contacting each other, according to the Daily Mail.
The court instructed Paul and Mortensen to keep at least 100 feet apart and avoid any communication with each other. However, they are still allowed to be present at court hearings and any previously arranged mediation meetings.
The judge decided Paul could spend up to eight hours with his child, Ever, but only with supervision. This was contingent on a court-appointed guardian first approving both the supervisor and the people overseeing the visits.
During the trial, details emerged about the couple’s difficult relationship. Paul’s lawyer stated that she had experienced two miscarriages prior to Mortensen’s allegations of domestic violence against her.
Paul’s lawyer, Eric M. Swinyard, stated that today’s court hearing was a positive development, as the judge issued orders to keep Taylor’s former partner away from her.
Swinyard explained that Taylor was refreshingly honest with the court, admitting her mistakes. This stood in stark contrast to the opposing side, who presented their case as flawless, even though evidence and police reports suggested otherwise.
As someone who’s always believed in the power of sharing experiences, I really connect with so many others who’ve faced private struggles and only revealed pieces of their journey. I’m incredibly thankful for all the support I’ve received, and I’m committed to working with the court to reach a positive resolution in my custody case. It means a lot to me to move forward constructively.
The Daily Mail has also reached out to Mortensen’s representatives for comment.
Recent developments in the case follow ABC’s decision to cancel the broadcast of Paul’s season of The Bachelorette. This came after a troubling video emerged showing Paul throwing metal chairs at someone named Mortensen during a previous incident.
This is the first time the former couple, who are currently involved in legal disputes and accusations of domestic violence against each other, have been seen together in public.
Oh my gosh, did you hear what Minas said in the livestream? Apparently, Paul and Mortensen just can’t be in the same room together! He said things get…violent. Like, seriously violent! I’m so worried about them, but also… completely glued to every detail! It’s just… intense.
‘I’m finding that there’s been violence both ways between these parties,’ he said in court.
The judge told Paul and Mortensen they needed to resolve their differences for their son’s well-being.
He expressed concern that they weren’t simply enjoying the conflict, according to People. He urged them to work out how to effectively co-parent, stating the current situation was unhealthy.
Minas told Paul and Mortensen that they were connected forever and that this connection would be their lasting impact.
According to Minas, the former couple is demonstrating a poor example of conflict resolution for their son. He cautioned that their very public disagreements could negatively affect their child, even when they’re grown up.
He went on to call out the ‘toxicity’ that Paul and Mortensen allegedly displayed.
Minas firmly stated he wanted to keep the two of them separated, explaining that they shouldn’t be together in the same location.
Paul and Mortensen are scheduled for a custody hearing on June 1st. However, they’ll receive suggestions about how to divide time with their child, Ever, before the hearing takes place.
Paul’s lawyer claimed her ex-partner, Mortensen, released a video from 2023 showing a domestic dispute. The video reportedly showed Paul throwing metal chairs at Mortensen, and one chair seemingly struck one of her children.
Mortensen has previously denied being responsible for the leak of the video.
I was a huge fan of the upcoming season of The Bachelorette with Paul as the lead, but then things took a really bad turn. Even though accusations against him from Mortensen were already out there, when the video surfaced, ABC made the difficult decision to cancel the entire season – all of it had already been filmed, which was so disappointing to hear.
According to Us Weekly, Taylor’s attorney stated that the video of the incident was published by a news outlet on the same day Mortensen submitted his revised request to keep details confidential. The attorney emphasized that the video hadn’t been publicly available before that release.
Following the incident, police released body camera footage showing officers questioning Paul, who appeared to be under the influence. She was then arrested and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.
Paul’s lawyer acknowledged that Mortensen claims he didn’t leak the video, but suggested there’s significant evidence pointing to Dakota’s involvement, or at least his strong connection to the leak.
The lawyer stated that Jessi Draper, Paul’s co-star on Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives, had previously suggested in a court document filed in April that Mortensen was involved in the leak.
Paul’s lawyer questioned whether it was just a coincidence that the protective order and the video leak happened around the same time. They argued that a statement from Draper indicated Mortensen might have been responsible for the leak.
The lawyer stated that following the reported domestic violence incident in February, Miss Draper went downstairs in her house and found Dakota talking with her husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, and Dakota’s roommate, Crew. She overheard their conversation.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely. What I understand is that, according to Draper’s lawyer, Mortensen apparently visited Draper’s soon-to-be-ex-husband again in March. This happened right around the time that private video became public, and not long before Mortensen actually filed a request with the court for protection from Paul. It’s a really sensitive situation, and the timing is certainly raising eyebrows.
According to Paul’s lawyer, Draper reported that Mortensen seemed very upset during their meeting. He apparently expressed his anger about the police inaction and stated he planned to handle the situation himself in a way that would publicly shame Taylor.
Paul’s lawyer stated that he had directly informed Miss Draper of his intention to release compromising videos of Taylor to the media, beginning with the footage from the bar stool.
He also stated that Mortensen supposedly identified the news outlet that released the video a few days afterward.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen firsthand how damaging public disputes can be. In this case, Paul’s lawyer is claiming Mortensen is actively trying to harm his client’s reputation. They’re also questioning the circumstances surrounding a leaked video, suggesting it doesn’t align with the image Mortensen is currently trying to project. Basically, they’re arguing his current behavior doesn’t match up with the facts as they understand them.
Her lawyer claimed that Mortensen intends to harass Paul and her family again.
The video caused a major public scandal, which seriously harmed Paul’s career. ABC cancelled her season of The Bachelorette as a direct result.
Honestly, what really bothered my client was the extra pain, humiliation, and shame her partner caused – not just to her, but to their kids too. It felt like a line had been crossed, and frankly, it revealed a lot about his character. It was a turning point for her, and really showed us who he was at his core.
But Mortensen’s attorney stated that his client denied leaking the video.
According to Mortensen’s lawyer, Mortensen actually instructed his publicist not to share the video. They also mentioned a member of Mortensen’s team, known as ‘Crew,’ who would confirm that Mortensen said he didn’t want the video made public.
According to Us Weekly, Mortensen’s lawyer stated that his client waited to report the domestic violence because he was afraid of Paul.
Mortensen’s lawyer questioned why he tolerated the situation for so long and didn’t take action sooner. The reason, the attorney explained, was fear of the repercussions he believed would follow if he did.
Mortensen’s lawyer says the domestic violence incident in February was the turning point that led his client to speak out.
Counsel for Mr. Mortensen stated that his client is a victim of domestic violence, which is not commonly seen with male victims. He explained that Mr. Mortensen is pressured – through a combination of romantic feelings and concerns for his son – to return to the abusive relationship, due to the abuser’s charming and manipulative personality, only for the cycle to repeat.
Okay, so I’ve been following this whole thing, and apparently, Viggo actually filed for a protective order! His lawyer said it was after the latest incident, and Viggo felt like he really needed to put a stop to everything, to finally break this pattern. It’s just…he’s so strong for doing this, honestly.
Earlier this month, Paul won a significant legal case and will not be charged with domestic violence.
According to a statement to the Daily Mail, Salt Lake County District Attorney Slim Gill has decided not to press charges against Taylor Frankie Paul after reviewing evidence and reports from the Draper and West Jordan Police Departments.
Mortensen had accused Paul of choking him, before hitting him and shoving him into a window.
Paul shared a screenshot of her excited reaction to the District Attorney’s decision on Instagram Stories later that day.
She shared a picture of a vase of bright flowers, set against a white paper with a butterfly drawing.
I was so overwhelmed with emotion when I received the news – honestly, I cried! It meant the world to me, and I just want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported me through it all. Your belief in me means everything.
The District Attorney explained that Mortensen had reported multiple issues with Paul, but some happened over three years in the past. Because of legal time limits, they can’t prosecute anything that happened more than two years ago.
Gill also mentioned that reports of domestic violence, as long as they happened within the legally allowed timeframe, were also examined.
His office reviewed the allegations and found that some didn’t qualify as crimes. For the others, he believed prosecutors couldn’t prove they happened because there wasn’t enough specific information about when and where they occurred, and there were no witnesses or evidence to support them.
After reviewing the evidence from the Draper and West Jordan Police Departments, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has decided not to pursue charges, according to Gill.
Despite the current lack of evidence, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office stated they would reconsider prosecuting Paul if new information emerges that could lead to a conviction.
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2026-05-01 18:06