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Taylor Frankie Paul’s attorney is speaking out after a judge issued both the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and her ex Dakota Mortensen protective orders during a custody hearing on Thursday, April 30.
“Today’s hearing was a significant step forward as the court entered protective orders requiring that Taylor’s ex-partner stays far away from her,” Taylor’s attorney, Eric M. Swinyard, said in a statement to Us Weekly.
Swinyard went on to praise Taylor, 31, for her candor during Thursday’s hearing after she and Dakota, 33, made several accusations of domestic violence against each other.
“Taylor was incredibly candid with the court that she is not perfect and owned her faults, which is in direct contrast to how the other party presented their argument, despite evidence and input from law enforcement that showed otherwise,” Swinyard said.
He continued, “Taylor feels solidarity with the many survivors who have endured similar hardships behind closed doors and shared only part of their stories, and she remains grateful for the outpouring of support she continues to receive. She looks forward to continuing to cooperate with the court to make progress in the custody case.”
Utah Commissioner Russell Minas issued mutual protective orders for the exes, ordering them to stay 100 feet from each other. The orders are expected to last three years.
Minas did not make any changes to the former couple’s custody arrangement of their 2-year-old son, Ever. Dakota was granted temporary custody of Ever in March, with Taylor being allowed up to eight hours of supervised visitation each week. (Taylor also shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, with ex-husband Tate Paul.)
“This has been a very toxic relationship. It’s beyond the pale in a lot of ways, the toxicity,” the judge told the exes on Thursday. “What I’ve seen from the evidence even post [the] last hearing, there seems to be a continuing attraction that they have for each other. … You guys have to figure out a lot here. You have to figure out how to function as coparents.”
“I’m hoping that you’re not people who just thrive on the drama and the conflict. You’ve got to put your child first and shield the child from this conflict,” Minas added. “I’m going to leave the current [custody] order in place. I need to think a little bit more about this lifting of supervision. I have mixed feelings about it.”
Dakota sought custody of Ever in March amid two separate police investigations into alleged domestic violence incidents involving Taylor and Dakota. In April, prosecutors declined to press charges against Taylor in connection with the incidents, which allegedly took place in 2024 in West Jordan, Utah, and this past February in Draper, Utah, respectively.
“After reviewing reports and evidence submitted to the Draper Police Department and West Jordan Police Department, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file charges against Taylor Frankie Paul,” district attorney Sim Gill’s office said in a statement obtained by Us on April 14.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
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