“Today’s hearing was used by the respondent to assassinate Dakota’s character as a dad,” Mortensen’s lawyer said in a statement obtained by EW.

Taylor Frankie Paul slammed by ex Dakota Mortensen’s lawyer over court drama, promises to tell ‘true story’

"Today’s hearing was used by the respondent to assassinate Dakota’s character as a dad," Mortensen's lawyer said in a statement obtained by EW.

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April 8, 2026 8:54 a.m. ET

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Taylor Frankie Paul; Dakota Mortensen. Credit:

Taylor Frankie Paul/Instagram; Dakota Mortensen/Instagram

Embattled reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul was criticized by ex Dakota Mortensen's lawyer in a statement on their recent court hearing over custody of their 2-year-old son, Ever.

After ** reached out to Mortensen's team for comment Tuesday on a custody hearing overseen by Commissioner Russell Minas in Utah, the *Secret Lives of Mormon Wives** *personality's lawyer, Joel Kittrell, provided a statement to EW on the proceedings.**

"Today’s hearing was used by the respondent to assassinate Dakota’s character as a dad, whose only concern is for the welfare of his son, Ever," Kittrell said in the statement. "We look forward to the 30th to tell the true story."

Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul in 2023.

Taylor Frankie Paul/ Instagram

EW has reached out to a representative for Paul for a response. When previously reached by EW, Paul's camp had no comment on Tuesday's hearing.

The hearing came amid legal drama involving Paul and Mortensen, who are under investigation for three alleged domestic violence incidents. Tuesday's hearing revolved around custody of Ever until the aforementioned April 30 court date, as both parents filed restraining orders again each other, with Paul filing a TRO just before Tuesday's hearing.

Mortensen's attorney proposed "supervised" visitation for Paul involving a facility, which he said can serve as an intermediary for Ever. She said that it's "appropriate for safety" given the nature of the domestic violence case. Mortensen's attorney alleged that his ex-partner is "out of control" and "completely reckless" in her behavior around both Mortensen and their son.

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Paul's attorney asked for a return to the "status quo" for parent time for Ever that she said was already established in August 2025, at an estimated 70 percent with Paul and the other 30 percent with Mortensen.

On Tuesday, Paul's lawyer claimed there was “huge divergence” in the respective parties' versions of events from a Feb. 22 incident, with the attorney saying at the hearing that Paul alleged Mortensen "grabbed her head during the course of this argument and slammed her head on the dashboard," and struck "her knee and elbow."

Dakota Mortenson and Taylor Frankie Paul on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'.

Fred Hayes/Disney

After Mortensen brought her home that night, Paul's lawyer claimed that Mortensen was “trying to reengage" with Paul after the alleged incident.

“This supposed victim of domestic violence asks her … ‘Do you want to f---?’" Paul's attorney claimed of Mortensen.

Paul and Mortensen's history of domestic violence allegations began in February 2023, after Paul and Mortensen got into an argument and Paul was captured on camera throwing metal stools at Mortensen with Paul's daughter in the room. She was initially charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, though those charges were later dismissed.

Taylor Frankie Paul at the 2024 CMA Awards.

Taylor Hill/WireImage

Paul pleaded guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault following a domestic violence incident and is on probation until August. Amid the investigation into the Feb. 22 incident, Hulu's *The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives *temporarily* *halted production on season 5 in March. A source told EW at the time that the crew wasn't filming when the incident occurred, and that Paul's children weren't present.

After footage of the clash between Paul and Mortensen leaked on March 19, ABC canceled Paul's highly anticipated season of *The Bachelorette *days before it was set to premiere, despite the majority of the season already being filmed.

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