The battle between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen continues to heat up! Buckle up for a few updates…
As we previously reported, the pair went head-to-head in court on Tuesday to discuss whether the MomTok star could get time with their 2-year-old son, Ever Mortensen, amid the domestic dispute scandal. She temporarily lost custody of the toddler after a judge granted Dakota a temporary protective order in March due to previous incidents of alleged abuse, including in February 2026.
While in court, Taylor’s attorney dropped a bombshell on the judge that she had filed for a protective order earlier that day. In the filing, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star detailed several instances of alleged abuse, including that February incident, which is a very different story from his. Dakota claimed Taylor was the primary aggressor during the altercation, but she insisted that was not true. She claimed that on February 23, her baby daddy drove her away from her home against her will, leaving behind her three young children who were asleep inside. He then allegedly “assaulted” her by “slamming her head against the dashboard of his truck and striking her knee and elbow.”
Related: Taylor Frankie Paul’s TikTok Reposts Are EXTREMELY Telling!
Taylor’s lawyer noted in court that she has pictures of the bruises she got from the alleged attack. He also added more details, claiming Dakota refused to “leave” when Taylor asked. When Dakota eventually dropped her off at home, the attorney claimed he stayed outside her front door step and texted her:
“Do you want to f**k?”
OMG…
His lawyer, Joel Kittrell, is now clapping back at Taylor in a statement to TMZ on Wednesday! He slammed the mom of three for trying to “assassinate Dakota’s character as a dad” in court when the DadTok star’s “only concern is for the welfare of his son, Ever,” adding:
“We look forward to the 30th to tell the true story.”
This is only going to get messier. Oof.
But also, can Dakota really sulk about character assassination here after what’s been happening to Taylor Frankie’s reputation??? Just sayin’!!
Regardless, April 30th is when the court will determine if either Dakota or Taylor will be awarded a permanent restraining order against the other. Because following the court hearing on Tuesday, Taylor was ALSO granted a temporary protective order against him! That is on top of earning up to 8 hours of supervised visitation with their kid. So, two small wins for the Hulu personality amid the legal battle!
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the judge ordered Dakota to stay 100 yards away from Taylor until their hearing later this month. He also cannot email, text, call, or communicate in any form with her, nor can he drink or use drugs before or during visitation with Ever. Fans know Dakota struggled with substance abuse in the past and has said he is sober now. And hopefully, things don’t change.
What are your reactions to the latest in their legal mess, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below).
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/Dakota Mortensen/Instagram]
