Taylor Frankie Paul Thanks Supporters Amid Dakota Mortensen Legal Woes

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Taylor Frankie Paul isn’t keeping her appreciation a secret.  

Following a court decision allowing her supervised visits with her 2-year-old son, whose father is Dakota Mortensen, the reality TV star expressed gratitude to those who supported her throughout their ongoing custody dispute.

Taylor, 31, recently expressed her thanks on Instagram for the many care packages she’s received. She shared a photo of the gifts, saying she’s incredibly grateful for the support she’s gotten from so many people during this time.

I’ve been so touched by all the kindness – every message, thoughtful meal, gift, phone call, and prayer has meant the world to me. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, but stepping back, you realize the incredible support I’ve received feels truly miraculous. It reminds you there’s something bigger at play, and that’s really powerful.

The first photo in Taylor’s post shows her visibly emotional, with tears in her eyes. She expressed deep gratitude for her community, writing that everything she needed – both practical help and emotional support – came from the people around her.

Taylor shared this message shortly after Dakota was given temporary custody of their son. This followed Dakota filing a protective order on March 19th, the same day a video from 2023 showing a fight between them was published by TMZ.

After a court hearing on April 7th, Taylor – who also has two children with her ex-husband, Tate Paul – was allowed to visit her toddler with supervision. This arrangement will continue until her next court date with Dakota on April 30th.

The reality TV star is still dealing with the fallout from her season of The Bachelorette being cancelled. The cancellation happened after a video circulated showing her hitting her boyfriend with a metal stool, followed by a child’s cries.

Before her latest court appearance, Taylor openly discussed how she’s been handling everything that’s been happening in her life.

She described the past 40 days as incredibly difficult, sharing on Instagram on April 6th that she felt like she was going through a living nightmare. During frequent panic attacks, she prayed for strength as her body struggled with the overwhelming distress. She believes she received that strength, along with clear signs of support, and is excited to share more about it soon.

She explained that she’s prayed since childhood and always felt God wanted us to reach out, particularly when things are difficult. But instead of just asking for help, she started focusing on gratitude, making it a habit to thank him for everything at the end of each day, even when she was feeling down.

For a full timeline of Taylor and Dakota’s legal troubles, read on…

Taylor Frankie Paul, who gained popularity on TikTok as #MomTok, was arrested in Utah on February 17, 2023, following an altercation with her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. According to court documents obtained by ABC 4 Utah, she allegedly threw metal chairs and a wooden playset at him while one of her children was present. She shares these children with her former husband, Tate Paul.

Court records show Taylor faces several charges, including aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence that injured a child, simple child abuse, and criminal mischief. These documents were released by the Salt Lake County District Attorney and reported by TopMob News.

According to court documents, the police officer who arrived at the scene stated that Dakota told him he had been arguing with his girlfriend. The officer reported that Dakota said his girlfriend, Taylor, began hitting him when he tried to leave.

In August 2023, Taylor admitted guilt to a serious assault charge, as shown in court records obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune. Four other charges against them were dropped and won’t be filed again.

For three years, the charge against her was put on hold. If Taylor followed the conditions of her agreement, it would then be filed as a minor offense, according to court records.

As part of her agreement, Taylor was required to undergo evaluations for both substance abuse and domestic violence, and complete any treatment recommended as a result, all within three years. She also had to avoid breaking any major laws.

Taylor and Dakota welcomed their son a week ahead of schedule. On April 4, 2024, Taylor shared a photo from the hospital on Instagram, expressing their joy and saying, “These past two weeks with him have been wonderful. We all love him so much and are grateful he’s joining our family.”

Taylor told TopMob News that the fight with Dakota was definitely their lowest point.

She explained that he supported her because he understood the full situation, even what was happening privately. She described it as a terrible night and admitted she deeply regretted what happened. Knowing Dakota had also gone through a very difficult time, she felt he truly understood and offered to help her get through it.

As for the confrontation itself, she later said the incident had been building up. 

She revealed on the Viall Files podcast in September 2024 that she’d experienced an ectopic pregnancy a few months earlier, followed by a chemical pregnancy. While hesitant to attribute it solely to hormonal imbalances, she acknowledged they likely played a role, saying she felt ‘pretty off.’

Taylor explained that she felt confused and upset after the events, leading her to drink. Dakota then picked her up and expressed his disapproval of her drinking.

I recall throwing objects, and I didn’t recognize my daughters who were on the couch. We had babysitters, so I believe they were upstairs asleep. Dakota apparently tried to tell me my five-year-old daughter was there, but I was so out of it that I didn’t care, and I threw another chair.

The reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered on Hulu in September 2024, and the first episode of its initial season showed footage of Taylor’s arrest in 2023.

Taylor publicly announced her breakup with Dakota in May 2025. The news came after the premiere of season two of SLOMW, which revealed Dakota had been unfaithful shortly after their son was born. Taylor shared the news on TikTok, stating, “Dakota isn’t mine anymore, wish him the best.”

Life felt perfect – Dakota and I were happily raising our new baby, and honestly, I was starting to picture a future with an engagement ring! But then everything changed when I discovered he hadn’t been truthful with me the whole time. It was a complete shock, and it completely derailed our happiness.

In a fourth-season episode of SLOMW, Dakota confessed to having an affair with a friend, Shinia Powell. During a FaceTime call with Taylor, Dakota admitted, “It was a mistake, and I probably should have chosen someone else. The person I chose was the problem – I knew this would be complicated and it was wrong of me to do it.”

Taylor was unexpectedly chosen as the next Bachelorette for season 22, and she announced the news on the podcast Call Her Daddy in September 2025. This is a big change for the show, which typically selects contestants from past seasons of The Bachelor to be the Bachelorette.

As a huge fan, I was so touched by what Taylor shared in the season preview! She said it felt like everything happening was meant to be, like she was being given a fresh start and a new opportunity. It really resonated with me – she clearly feels this is a positive turning point in her life.

Taylor shared that she’s faced criticism, judgment, and rejection, but believes those who truly get to know her will see she’s sincere, has good intentions, and deserves another opportunity at love.

Just before Taylor started filming season 22 of The Bachelorette, a conversation between her and Dakota aired on season four of SLOMW. During that conversation, Dakota apologized for his relationship with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake and that he’d acted poorly.

He explained that both he and Taylor had caused each other pain, but he still felt they loved each other deeply.

The couple acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy, and Taylor believed appearing on The Bachelorette would ultimately be beneficial for both of them, no matter the outcome. She saw it as a chance for them to step back, end their pattern, and begin to heal.

Dakota let Taylor know he still had feelings for her, saying he was glad she was happy and wished her well if she found someone else. He playfully asked her to ‘save a rose for him,’ hinting that he wasn’t quite over her.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Apparently, filming for season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives completely stopped back in February 2026! The word is there was a huge fight between Taylor and Dakota, and everything just shut down. I’m seriously dying to know what happened! It’s awful, but I’m so invested in their lives, I can’t help but be fascinated!

On March 16, a representative from the Draper City Police Department told People magazine they were investigating reports of domestic assault involving Taylor and Dakota. The representative stated that both individuals had made accusations against each other. Police made contact with those involved on February 24th and 25th, but are not releasing further details while the investigation continues.

According to a source who spoke with TopMob News, Taylor is taking responsibility for her actions and is primarily focused on shielding her son, Ever, from negative press surrounding his father and ensuring he maintains a positive view of him.

After Taylor and Dakota had a disagreement in 2026, TMZ released video of a physical fight between them that originally happened in 2023.

The video shows Dakota filming a confrontation while Taylor shouts at him and tries to hit him, even briefly putting him in a headlock.

“Look,” Dakota can be heard saying, “this is called physical abuse.”

Witnesses reported hearing him tell her that their daughter was nearby just as Taylor started throwing metal barstools at him. During the fight, Taylor claimed Dakota pushed her to the ground before he began recording, while he insisted she was responsible for the situation and asked her to consider their 5-year-old daughter. Taylor was later heard shouting for him to stay away from her daughter.

According to a police report obtained by TopMob News in 2023, the child was struck by a stool.

Following the video’s release, a representative for Taylor stated to TopMob News that it was part of an effort to damage her reputation. They said the video selectively presented information and was intended to shift attention away from Dakota’s own behavior. Dakota, however, dismissed Taylor’s accusations as untrue.

Following the release of video showing a disagreement between Taylor and Dakota in 2023, ABC announced it was cancelling season 22 of The Bachelorette. A Disney Entertainment representative told TopMob News, “We’ve decided not to proceed with the new season at this time, and are currently focused on supporting the family involved.”

Following ABC’s decision, Taylor broke her silence about the situation. 

Taylor appreciates the support she’s received from ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe. According to her representative, she’s been quietly dealing with significant mental and physical abuse, and threats, for years. Now, she’s finding the courage to confront the person responsible and is taking action to protect herself and her children from future harm.

The statement also highlighted that many women are quietly enduring hardship caused by controlling, possessive former partners who won’t allow them to rebuild their lives.

Taylor’s team has confirmed she is considering her next steps, getting support from those around her, and will eventually share what happened in her own words.

Dakota addressed claims of domestic violence involving him and Taylor, stating in a March 19th interview with TopMob News that the video footage of the incident is “deeply upsetting,” as anyone who has seen it would agree.

He stated he was sadly accustomed to false accusations regarding himself and their relationship, and firmly denied them all.

Dakota said her priority is her son Ever’s well-being and safety, and she hopes Taylor will prioritize that as well.

According to documents obtained by People magazine on March 20th, Dakota was granted temporary custody of Ever after filing a protective order against Taylor. While a hearing is scheduled for April 7th to allow Taylor to present her side of the story, the order currently prevents either parent from spending time with Ever.

Utah police are investigating a new claim of domestic violence from 2024 that Dakota reported to them in February, according to a West Jordan Police Department spokesperson who spoke with NBC News on March 24th. Investigators have contacted Taylor’s lawyer but haven’t yet spoken with Taylor herself. They are hoping she will provide a written statement or agree to an interview to help confirm the details of Dakota’s report.

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2026-04-13 00:18