According to NBC News, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file charges against “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul following a domestic violence investigation involving her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. The office cited a lack of evidence, noting that some misdemeanor offenses happened more than two years ago and were barred by the statute of limitations. More recent incidents, it said, did not rise to the level of criminal conduct.
In its statement, the DA’s office noted that “due to the high profile of the defendant, the cases were reviewed by multiple attorneys.”
How It Got Here
For anyone who has not been following this story, it has been one of the messiest months in recent reality TV history.
Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen confirmed their relationship in September 2022. It turned rocky quickly. The couple broke up in December, then got back together in January 2023 — a month before a domestic violence incident that prompted Paul’s arrest, according to NPR.
TODAY reported that Paul later pleaded guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault in August 2023. Her arrest and probation were discussed at length in Season 1 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
The situation escalated dramatically in March 2026. TMZ published footage from the 2023 incident showing Paul putting Mortensen in a headlock, kicking him, and throwing three metal barstools at him while a child was nearby on the couch. The police report stated the 5-year-old girl was hit and later had a “goose egg on her head.”
ABC pulled Paul’s upcoming season of “The Bachelorette” on March 19, just days before its planned March 22 premiere, citing the newly released footage.
Taylor Also Filed Against Dakota
The legal maneuvering did not stop there. NBC News also reported that Paul filed a temporary protective order against Mortensen, which was granted, requiring him to stay at least 100 feet away from her until a court hearing on April 30. Her filing included multiple allegations of physical violence by Mortensen, photos of bruises, and text messages she says constitute evidence of a pattern of abuse and coercive control.
Paul also alleged that despite their breakup, Mortensen recently tattooed her initials on the inside of his lip and sent her photos on February 14, which she characterized as harassment
Paul’s spokesperson has said she is “gaining strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
What This Doesn’t Resolve
The DA declining to file charges means Paul will not face new criminal prosecution — which matters significantly given that new charges would have violated her existing probation from the 2023 domestic violence conviction, per Washington Times.
But the civil protective order hearing is still scheduled for April 30.
According to Variety, Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” remains on production pause. A source confirmed, “Cameras are down as the Draper City Police Department in Utah investigates the allegations on both sides after a recent incident.” They also noted that there will not be major impact to the season or the release timeline.
The charges are gone. Everything else is still very much unresolved.
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” streams on Hulu.
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