Taylor Frankie Paul
Ex Dakota Pleads For Restraining Order, Sole Custody
Published
Taylor Frankie Paul is now dealing with her ex, Dakota Mortensen, asking the court for a restraining order against her … TMZ has learned.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ … Dakota filed for a protective order in Utah on Tuesday. In his filing, Dakota details the incidents that he claims went down on February 23 and February 24 of 2026.
Dakota said he was at Taylor’s home with Taylor and their son, Ever. He claimed the two had an argument that escalated. He then said she choked him, and he had to physically remove her hands from his neck while she shoved him into a window and struck him.
In his filing, he called the situation “chaotic” and “frightening.” Dakota claims Ever woke up from the commotion, which he says included Taylor yelling and screaming.
Dakota says he called 911 for help, but he claims Taylor “pressured and manipulated” him into telling dispatch the child was sick so the call would end.
He claims Taylor was “emotionally volatile” and said she wanted to harm herself. Dakota said he tried to calm her down for her safety and to stabilize the situation for their child.
He claims — after he put Ever back to sleep and lay down with him — Taylor pulled the blankets off them. Dakota said he tried to shield Ever, but the child woke up crying because of Taylor’s “aggressive behavior.”
Dakota said he left her home and went to his home with Ever for their safety.
Dakota claims the two were together again at her home the following night and alleges Taylor threw his phone into the wall and “physically blocked [him] from exiting.” Dakota said Taylor followed him and continued to yell.
Dakota said he got into his truck, and Taylor also got in and started to attack him. He says he tried to drive away, but Taylor “grabbed and squeezed” his face, threw a drink on him and struck parts of his car.
Dakota said, “I was unable to safely leave while this was happening, and my child had been left inside the home during the chaos under her watch due to our custody agreement.” … He added that to protect himself, he “pushed her away from [him], which she made contact with the passenger seat.”
Dakota said he left the home, which led to Taylor texting him she had a bloody nose and needed medical attention, “which I believe was an attempt to get me to return and prevent me from calling the police.”
He says he is “genuinely concerned for my safety and the safety and well-being of my child.”
Dakota claims he suffered bruises and lacerations due to Taylor’s actions. In his petition, Dakota brought up Taylor’s 2023 arrest for assault, where she was accused of throwing chairs at him.
The petition requested temporary custody of Ever and that Taylor not drink or use drugs during her parenting time.
TMZ obtained photos of Dakota at the Utah courthouse Tuesday, where we’re told he happened to bump into Taylor’s ex-husband Tate Paul. Our sources tell us they were both there to obtain separate protective orders against Taylor.
Folks who were at the courthouse tell us Tate and Dakota just happened to show up on the same day, around the same time, and cross paths. We’re told they did NOT show up together … instead, they came and went separately. We’re told neither had attorneys with them.
As TMZ previously reported … a friend of Dakota’s called police after noticing visible injuries, and authorities documented alleged scratches. We’re also told there’s an active Utah Division of Child and Family Services investigation tied to the situation.
Accounts of the incidents remain disputed, with conflicting claims over who became physical. Taylor was arrested in 2023 after a domestic dispute with Dakota and later pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault.
Meanwhile, Taylor has been promoting her upcoming season of “The Bachelorette,” premiering Sunday, and has largely stayed quiet on the latest allegations, saying only that it’s been a difficult time.