The legal feud between Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen is escalating, with both parties preparing for a dramatic court hearing on April 30. According to Paul's attorney, Eric Swinyard, the upcoming session in Utah's third district court could be a "showdown" as they argue over protective orders and custody of their 2-year-old son.
The conflict began on March 19 when Mortensen filed a protective order against Paul, citing an alleged physical altercation in February. That same day, TMZ published a video of a 2023 incident in which Paul threw a chair near a child. In response, ABC announced the cancellation of Paul's already-filmed season of The Bachelorette.
Paul countersued with her own temporary restraining order, accusing Mortensen of a "pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control" throughout their on-again, off-again relationship. At an April 7 hearing, the judge granted Mortensen temporary custody, with Paul receiving only supervised visitation. Both sides have vowed to present evidence on April 30 to prove their case.
A timeline of key events includes Paul's arrest in February 2023 for throwing chairs at Mortensen, her guilty plea to aggravated assault in August 2023, and the birth of their son in March 2024. Paul has previously called the 2023 incident her "rock bottom" but maintains that the court will see the full truth.