Judge Calls Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen Relationship ‘Toxic,’ Shares Biggest Concern Amid Stay-Away Order

A judge criticized reality stars Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen for their ‘toxic relationship’ while granting them protective orders against each other. The former couple appeared in Salt Lake County District Court on April 30, during which 3rd District Court Commissioner Russell Minas ordered them to remain at least 100 feet apart at all times.

Paul, 31, and Mortensen, 33, began dating in 2022 and had an on-and-off relationship for about three years. During this time, they accused each other of domestic violence multiple times. Paul was even arrested over domestic violence and assault charges after a physical altercation with Mortensen in February 2023.

However, the two still remained together and welcomed a son in March 2024. Over two years later, in February 2026, the duo once again accused each other of abuse and filed petitions for protective orders.

During the hearing, the judge noted that Paul and Mortensen had a ‘dysfunctional’ relationship, as they kept going back to each other despite numerous incidents of violence. “There seems to be a continuing attraction that they have for each other. Whether it's physical, whether it's the thrill of the two of them being a part of making themselves celebrities, there seems to be this attraction,” Minas said.

Paul’s attorney claimed that Mortensen kicked her several times in the leg during a 2025 argument and, on another occasion, slammed her head into a vehicle dashboard. On the other hand, Mortensen’s lawyer argued that their client was a victim of continuous abuse and was frequently lured back by Paul for intimacy despite their conflicts.

Granting the protective orders for three years, Minas said, “The problem is that the two of them can't be together in the same place at the same time for very long before it starts to turn violent. ... I am very concerned.”

He also told Paul and Mortensen that they would have to figure out a way to co-parent their two-year-old son. Currently, Mortensen has custody of the child, while Paul is allowed to meet him under supervision for only eight hours every week. The custody battle remains ongoing.

“You have to figure out how to function as co-parents. This has been dysfunctional. This is a lifelong proposition between the two of you. You're linked together for the remainder of your lives,” the judge said.

The hearing took place just a few weeks after media outlet TMZ obtained video of the 2023 domestic violence incident, which showed Paul throwing metal chairs and a wooden play set at Mortensen in a fit of rage.

The video was made public three days before Paul was set to appear as the lead of ABC’s dating reality show The Bachelorette Season 22. However, the network decided to cancel the show’s broadcast due to the sensitive nature of Paul’s case.

Paull’s attorney has welcomed the court’s decision to grant her a protective order, as he said in a statement, “What we wanted on the [domestic violence] front was for the relationship to be over. We wanted orders in place.”