A Utah judge slammed Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen for their “toxic” behavior while ordering protective orders for both.
“This has been a very dangerous relationship,” said commissioner Russell Minas at Thursday’s panel among the TV cast, per Us Weekly. “It’s beyond the pale in many ways, poison.”
To their son Ever, 2, the judge noted that the elders need to meet as co-parents.
“What I saw in the testimony even after the last hearing, it seems that the attraction they have for each other continues,” he commented. “Guys, you have to learn more here. You have to learn how to function as parents.”
He also called the dynamic “dysfunctional,” amid the former couple’s ongoing custody battle — Mortensen, 33, currently has physical custody and Paul, 31, allowed supervised visitation.
“I will vacate the current order,” the judge said, according to the report. “I need to think a little bit about this removal of supervision. I have mixed feelings about it.”
The judge expressed his hope that Mortensen and Paul are not “people who just win the game and the argument” and noted that they had to put “their child first and protect the child in this conflict.”
She reminded the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star and her ex that they are “connected for the rest of your lives,” through their son. “He’s modeling how to deal with conflict for a 2-year-old,” she said.
The couple was ordered to stay 100 feet away from each other in the ruling, which granted both sides the protective orders they had previously sought.
The judge noted that he believed that “there was violence on both sides between these groups” while saying that he felt that Paul’s “behavior” was “very strong.”
“Dakota knows what to do, to get under his skin, and he reacts,” said the judge about the dynamic – where the seemingly calm Mortensen, at one point, recorded his spouse during a tense exchange in 2023.
“I think [Mortensen is] as discussed,” explained the judge, describing Mortensen’s behavior as “undercover.”
The judge reserved a decision on Paul’s supervision at that time during the visit with their son, noting that if it continued, “he was concerned that Dakota might actually try to use that as a way to manipulate and control him.”
The reality star – who also shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, with ex-husband Tate Paul – lost custody of Ever earlier this month amid abuse allegations.
Mortensen did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment on Thursday’s hearing.
Paul’s attorney told Page Six, “Today’s hearing was an important step forward as the Court issued protective orders requiring Taylor’s ex-partner to stay away from him.”
“Taylor has unequivocally told the Court that he is imperfect and flawed, which is the opposite of how the other party has argued, despite the evidence and legal opinions to the contrary.”
“Taylor feels a sense of solidarity with the many survivors who have endured similar hardships behind closed doors and shared only part of their stories, and remains grateful for the support she continues to receive,” the statement continued.
The statement concluded, “He looks forward to continuing to work with the Court to make progress in the custody case.”
The pair’s court appearance was their first public appearance together since their legal battle began in March, when news broke that the pair were facing an extensive domestic violence investigation into the alleged feud.
The Salt Lake County district attorney’s office declined to file new charges against Paul in early April because of what they called an “evidential issue” in the investigation by the Draper and West Jordan Police Departments, according to a press release.
They also pointed out the fact that some of the events brought forward “took place more than three years ago” and are therefore “barred by the statute of limitations.”
The release noted that the allegations against Paul “do not rise to the level of criminal charges.”
Amidst these allegations, in March, TMZ released a video of Paul and Mortensen meeting in 2023 – where Paul can be seen clearly throwing barstools while daughter Indy sits on a nearby couch.
He was arrested on suspicion of collusion in 2023, and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.
ABC canceled Paul’s upcoming season of “The Bachelorette” following the release of the tape.
Mortensen filed for a restraining order against Paul – and submitted photos of the alleged injuries that occurred during the incidents – and has been granted temporary custody of Ever until today. Paul was granted supervised visitation with Ever.
Then news broke on March 25 that a third domestic violence investigation by the West Jordan Police Department — in addition to two investigations conducted by Draper police — was in the works.
Paul filed for a restraining order against Mortensen this month, saying he stalked her, slammed her head against the dashboard of his truck, molested her by tattooing his initials on the middle of her lip and sending her a photo.
Before Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Mortensen’s attorney said he was “scared of the power that will befall him” and called him a “victim of domestic violence.”
Paul’s lawyer, however, claimed Mortensen “wants to destroy” the reality star.
“He would abuse her and her family,” Paul’s lawyer told the court. “Yes, it affects work. There’s a lot of embarrassment that goes along with that.”
