[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
More is coming out about the restraining order Taylor Frankie Paul‘s ex-husband filed against her!
As we previously reported, Tate Paul asked for a restraining order in Utah on Tuesday against The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and demanded that the court award him sole legal and physical custody of their two children — 8-year-old daughter Indy and 6-year-old son Ocean. We don’t know exactly what prompted Tate to file the requests since the filings are under seal right now. However, new information is coming to light about the exhibits he submitted as evidence! And we already have an update on the request, too!
Related: Taylor Frankie Paul’s Mom SLAMS Dakota & Tate Amid Custody Battles!
Sources familiar with the proceedings claimed to TMZ on Wednesday that Tate cited the infamous barstool-throwing incident involving their daughter in the court documents for their custody battle! As you may recall, TFP got arrested in 2023 on two counts of felony domestic violence in the presence of a child causing injury, one count of misdemeanor child abuse, one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief, and aggravated assault following a fight with her other baby daddy, Dakota Mortensen.
Amid an investigation into a different domestic dispute between the former couple earlier this year, a video surfaced of that assault from three years ago, in which you see Taylor throwing barstools at Dakota. However, one of them ended up hitting her then 5-year-old daughter, Indy, resulting in an injury.
Refresh your memory (below):
???? EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Frankie Paul repeatedly attacked Dakota Mortensen during the 2023 incident in which she pled guilty to aggravated assault; video shows that one of her children was struck during the fight.
Trigger Warning. https://t.co/77CKYpLxvn pic.twitter.com/avr49EacY3
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 19, 2026
Yikes…
Taylor ended up taking a deal to plead guilty to only aggravated assault, so she was placed on probation for three years. Despite the incident, the reality star didn’t lose Indy and Ocean. Tate didn’t even try to get sole custody of them back then, but sources now say that is only because he was never allowed to see the above video until days before it leaked! Insiders also claim Taylor repeatedly told him the barstool never hit Indy.
Tate’s now trying to argue that because of the old barstool incident, Taylor’s conduct raises concerns about their children’s safety. But according to TMZ, the content creator fired back at her ex’s request on Wednesday. Sources say her declaration still denies the barstool hit Indy and claims her daughter was out of view, so there is no way to even confirm it hit her. Additionally, Taylor apparently blames Dakota in the declaration for Tate’s filing, claiming he’s been spreading misinformation to friends and leaking details to the media.
A source from her camp adds that Dakota is trying to cause as much pain as possible to Taylor and intimidate and harass her because he doesn’t want her season of The Bachelorette to air. Last week, he called the police on the television personality regarding his protective order against her and drop-offs and custody of their 2-year-old son Ever. There’s currently an investigation into whether she violated it. Notably, this happened right as news broke that ABC may start airing The Bachelorette soon, after her season got canceled months ago when the domestic violence video leaked to the press. And TFP seems convinced Dakota’s trying to sabotage it again — this time by also getting her ex-hubby involved!
And, well, it looks like Tate is not getting his way for now. People reported that a judge denied his temporary restraining order. Commissioner Kim Luhn wrote in her ruling on Wednesday that his allegations were “based upon inadmissible hearsay, without any corroborating evidence,” adding:
“Many of the concerns, like the children not doing well in school and expressing sadness, will require ongoing attention not remedied with an emergency order changing custody.”
Luhn also noted that “contrary” to Tate’s claim that his “children are in immediate danger,” Taylor informed the court that he had left her with their children during a week-long trip to Iceland in June. So, she denied the request!
At this time, neither Taylor nor Tate has addressed the decision.
What are your reactions, Perezcious readers? Drop ’em in the comments (below)…
If you have sincere cause to suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.
[Image via Taylor Frankie Paul/Instagram, Hulu/YouTube]
