Taylor Frankie Paul has received a legal boost in her custody case involving her son, Ever, with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. During a virtual hearing on June 1, Commissioner Russell Minas ruled that Paul’s visits with the 2-year-old no longer need to be supervised. Her parenting time was also expanded to include one weekday visit, though not overnight, plus every other weekend. Mortensen will continue to have custody on holidays.
The ruling marks a significant change in a case that has been shaped by public allegations and legal restrictions over the past several months. In March, shortly before Taylor Frankie Paul was originally expected to appear as the lead of ABC’s next season of The Bachelorette, leaked footage from her 2023 arrest surfaced. At the same time, details emerged about another domestic incident involving Paul and Mortensen from February 2025. Following those developments, the court granted Mortensen full custody of Ever and issued a restraining order against Paul.
Paul initially received only supervised visitation for eight hours per week. That amount was later increased to 12 hours per week on April 30. The latest decision to remove the supervision requirement is her biggest custody victory so far and may signal progress in repairing her standing as a parent amid ongoing legal scrutiny.
The custody case also continues to carry implications for Paul’s reality television career. Production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had previously been disrupted after domestic violence concerns involving Paul and Mortensen, and filming has since resumed. If both return to the Hulu series, their shared history will likely remain a major storyline, especially because their mutual protective orders are still in effect. Under the court order, both must stay at least 100 feet away from each other for three years. Their next court hearing is scheduled for July 8.
Paul’s legal progress has also renewed questions about the future of her unaired season of The Bachelorette. ABC previously said it had decided “not to move forward with the new season” at the time, but the network has not clearly closed the door on airing the filmed season later. After reports that Paul would not face domestic violence charges in connection with the February incident or a separate 2024 episode, speculation grew that the season could still be released, possibly on Hulu.
Reality TV commentators have suggested the season may surface sometime this summer, while other reports indicate ABC may instead be planning a broader franchise reset with a tighter casting process. For now, the network has not announced a final decision.
Paul’s latest court ruling is being seen as a meaningful step forward in a difficult stretch marked by custody disputes, legal restrictions, and uncertainty surrounding her television future.
