Taylor Frankie Paul Avoids New Charges After Domestic Violence Investigations Conclude
Taylor Frankie Paul will not face new charges following investigations into domestic violence allegations conducted by Utah authorities. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced its decision not to file charges after reviewing two separate investigations led by the Draper Police Department and the West Jordan Police Department.
Investigation Findings
The District Attorney’s Office stated that the cases were reviewed by multiple attorneys due to the high profile of the defendant. The investigations stemmed from incidents involving Paul and her ex-partner, Dakota Mortensen. Filming for the reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was paused in March after an alleged domestic incident between the two. On March 25, it was revealed that Paul was under investigation for a third alleged domestic violence incident, which was being led by the West Jordan Police Department. Paul had previously been arrested in 2023 for another incident involving Mortensen.
Salt Lake City’s ABC 4 confirmed that the DA will not be filing charges against Paul for either of the alleged incidents. The outlet noted that the incidents occurred over three years ago, leading to the expiration of the statute of limitations for those events.
Evidence and Legal Considerations
According to the DA’s report, the events that occurred within the statute of limitations reportedly “lack sufficient evidence to support filing criminal charges where the state must be able to prove such allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.” The report further indicated that the incidents lacked specificity regarding when and what actually occurred, as well as corroboration.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office declined to file any charges based on the evidence submitted by the Draper Police Department and West Jordan Police Department.
Public Reaction and Media Coverage
Following the announcement of the investigation related to the alleged February incident, a video surfaced showing Paul throwing barstools at Mortensen while her daughter was present. This footage was leaked to TMZ on March 19. Shortly thereafter, ABC decided to pull Paul’s planned season of The Bachelorette, which was set to premiere on March 22.
On April 7, both Paul and Mortensen appeared in court regarding an existing order of protection that Mortensen had filed against Paul. An hour prior to their court appearance, Paul filed a temporary restraining order against Mortensen, which was granted. She was also awarded eight hours of supervised visitation with their shared son, Ever True.
Allegations of Abuse
In her filing, Paul alleged that Mortensen exhibited a “pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control.” She recounted several incidents in which Mortensen became increasingly possessive as the premiere date for her season of The Bachelorette approached.
During an incident on February 23, which was under investigation, Paul claimed that Mortensen came to her home while her three children were asleep to discuss their relationship. After a verbal altercation, they entered his vehicle to talk, but he drove away without her consent. Paul alleged that she pleaded with him to return home, but he continued driving, leading to a physical altercation.
According to the filing, Mortensen allegedly assaulted Paul by slamming her head against the dashboard of his truck and striking her knee and elbow. The filing included photos of Paul’s bruises and screenshots of text messages exchanged between the two.
Industry Impact
On March 20, NBC News reported that the cast of Mormon Wives had a Zoom call with Disney executives, expressing concerns about continuing to film with Paul amid the allegations. A source indicated that the executives informed the cast that filming for season five would be paused until the production’s investigation, which is separate from the law enforcement investigation, concludes.
Since ABC’s decision to pull Paul’s season of The Bachelorette, the network has not provided any updates regarding the status of the anticipated 22nd installment. A spokesperson for Disney Entertainment Television stated that they had decided not to move forward with the new season at this time, focusing instead on supporting the family involved.
For more details, visit Hollywood Reporter.
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Published on 2026-04-15 03:34:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk