Taylor Frankie Paul had been involved in a few domestic violence investigations involving his ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, drawing widespread online attention. “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star faced mounting scrutiny as more details emerged, ultimately costing her a major opportunity after her “Bachelorette” season was scrapped before it could air.
Following the investigation, Paul will not face any domestic violence charges, as prosecutors ultimately declined to pursue the case, at least for now.
Prosecutors Declined To Press Charges Against Taylor Frankie Paul
On April 14, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced that no domestic violence charges would be filed against TV personality Taylor Frankie Paul. Per the press release, as reported by PEOPLE, several attorneys reviewed the cases and pieces of evidence presented due to the “high profile of the defendant.”
In February, authorities investigated an alleged domestic violence incident between Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, wherein both sides alleged violence. Mortensen claimed that Paul scratched, struck, and shoved him, while Paul said her ex was the aggressor and alleged that he attacked her while they were in his truck.
Following the incident, footage was leaked showing a previous altercation between the two in 2023, where Paul threw chairs at her partner while her daughter was present.
The Reasons Behind The Decision
According to the documents, the district attorney’s office concluded that Paul couldn’t be charged for some of the alleged incidents due to the statute of limitations. It was revealed during the investigation that the events happened more than two years ago, placing them outside the legal timeframe for prosecution.
In the other alleged incidents, they concluded there were no “criminal offenses,” and they didn’t have enough evidence to warrant filing criminal charges against Paul, adding that they lacked “specificity as to when and what actually occurred or corroboration.”
However, the press release also noted that prosecutors aren’t closing the doors, stating that they would be “happy to revisit this matter” if additional information or evidence comes to light that supports Paul’s prosecution.
Taylor Frankie Paul Remains On Probation
The district attorney’s office said its investigations into Paul did not affect the reality star’s 36-month probation, which stems from an incident in 2023.
In 2023, authorities responded to a domestic violence report and found Paul heavily intoxicated, the footage of which was leaked in February. She threw a cellphone, metal chairs, and a wooden playset at Mortensen in the presence of a child. Paul was initially charged with felony aggravated assault, domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief.
Paul agreed to a plea deal, pleading guilty to felony aggravated assault in exchange for dropping the remaining charges. According to the agreement, her aggravated assault charge would be reduced to a misdemeanor by August 2026 if she abides by the conditions the court set, which include not breaking any laws.
Her probation ends on August 24, 2026. Had she been charged with domestic violence in the recent investigation, Paul would have had her plea agreement nullified, or she would have faced prison time.
The Reality Star Lost Temporary Custody Of Her Son With Dakota Mortensen
Following the domestic violence investigations, the court granted Mortensen a protective order and temporary custody of their 2-year-old son, Ever. During a protection hearing on April 7, as previously reported by The Blast, Paul was granted eight hours of supervised visits with Ever.
Based on the temporary schedule, Paul may divide the eight hours over multiple days throughout the week until the next court date, scheduled for April 30. As of now, it isn’t known whether the arrangement has been changed after she escaped domestic violence charges.
Paul also shares two other children with her ex-husband, Tate Paul: 8-year-old Indy and 5-year-old Ocean.
Taylor Frankie Paul Distancing Herself From The Mormon Church
Paul was one of the central figures in “Secret Lives of the Mormon Wives,” which debuted in 2024. Following the investigation into the reality star, her castmates reportedly no longer wanted to work with her, effectively halting production on season 5. “They all banded together, and they don’t want to come back right now… They were just getting tired of Taylor, honestly,” an insider shared to PEOPLE.
In an Instagram Story posted on April 6, Paul announced that despite having “love and respect” toward the Mormon church, she had decided to “detach” herself from the community. “I’ve also experienced grace and love from amazing people that aren’t sure what they believe if at all and that’s okay too,” she wrote, adding, “Point being there is more out there to learn. And I’m writing this out as a release.”