Taylor Frankie Paul, one of the central figures on the reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, will not face criminal charges over domestic violence allegations made against her in Utah. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced the decision, pointing to insufficient evidence as the reason it would not move forward with the case.
The allegations stemmed from claims made by her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. After reviewing the available evidence, the DA’s office determined that several of the alleged misdemeanor incidents took place more than two years ago, placing them beyond the statute of limitations and making prosecution impossible regardless of the merits. For the more recent incidents that still fell within the legal timeframe, prosecutors concluded the evidence simply did not rise to the standard required to bring charges that being proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Officials also noted that many of the incidents lacked specificity about timing and circumstances, and that corroborating evidence was largely absent.
A relationship defined by mutual allegations
What makes this case particularly layered is that Paul has made similar domestic violence allegations against Mortensen, meaning both parties have pointed fingers at each other. Utah authorities have opened at least two separate domestic violence investigations involving the pair. A spokesperson for the Draper Police Department confirmed that a 2024 incident involving both Paul and Mortensen remains under active investigation, with allegations running in both directions.
The couple’s legal entanglements extend to the courts as well. Both Paul and Mortensen have filed temporary protective orders against each other a reflection of just how volatile their relationship has become. Court records also confirm that Paul has three children, one of whom she shares with Mortensen, adding another layer of complexity to an already difficult situation.
The reality TV fallout
The turbulence in Paul’s personal life has created significant disruption in her professional one. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered in 2024, brought Paul to a wide audience and featured her on again, off again relationship with Mortensen as part of its storyline. But production on the show was paused last month following the emergence of new domestic violence investigations involving Paul. The situation became serious enough that fellow cast members raised concerns about continuing to film alongside her, prompting discussions with ABC executives about the show’s direction.
The ripple effects reached beyond that series as well. Paul had been scheduled to appear in a new season of The Bachelorette, but that season was ultimately canceled after a video from a 2023 incident involving her leaked online and spread widely. Meanwhile, Mortensen’s own television presence is being scaled back a source familiar with production on Vanderpump Villa confirmed he will be edited out of the show’s upcoming season.
A guilty plea already on the record
This is not Paul’s first encounter with the legal system over similar issues. Back in 2023, she pleaded guilty in abeyance to one count of aggravated assault connected to an arrest that year, while four additional charges were dismissed. Footage from her body camera arrest was actually included in the first episode of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, instantly becoming one of the most talked about moments of the premiere and drawing widespread public attention to her story.
Mortensen has separately alleged that Paul committed domestic violence against him in incidents from 2024 and as recently as May 2025. Earlier this year, both parties independently contacted police to report new allegations against each other, suggesting the conflict between them has continued well beyond what has made headlines.
What comes next
With no charges filed and investigations still active, the situation remains unresolved in meaningful ways. Paul is navigating the consequences of a very public and very contentious relationship at a moment when her career trajectory was still building momentum. Whether she remains part of the reality TV landscape going forward will likely depend as much on how these legal questions are ultimately settled as on any creative decisions made by networks and producers.
For Mortensen, too, the scrutiny is not going away. Both individuals appear to be caught in a cycle of conflict that has now drawn in law enforcement, the courts, and the entertainment industry simultaneously and there is no clear indication that the end of that cycle is close.
