Reality TV loves drama, but usually not like this. Production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been put on ice after an alleged domestic incident involving cast member Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen. The pause has triggered a police inquiry and a separate child-welfare review, and multiple reports say some cast and crew members have refused to continue filming. The turmoil has also pushed Paul’s 2023 arrest and legal history back into the spotlight.
As reported by TMZ, Mortensen has accused Paul of spousal and child abuse, and producers halted filming while those claims are investigated. The outlet also reports that the Utah Division of Child and Family Services has been contacted and that both parents were ordered to undergo psychological evaluations as part of the ongoing probe.
What police and court records show
Court filings and local reporting show Paul was arrested in February 2023 on multiple counts, including an aggravated assault charge and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, video evidence in the case allegedly showed Paul throwing metal barstools and striking a child. That reporting notes that other charges were later dismissed.
Local coverage also reports that Paul entered a plea-in-abeyance to the aggravated assault count in August 2023. That agreement came with conditions, including supervision and court-ordered evaluations, and set up a review timeline tied to her compliance with those terms.
Custody fight and child-welfare inquiries
According to reporting on court records, Mortensen went to court in June 2025 seeking custody and support for the couple’s son, Ever. Additional filings dealing with custody, parenting time, and income followed later in 2025, filings that Yahoo and other outlets reviewed.
Separate reporting by TMZ says Mortensen contacted DCFS several times with allegations, and that child-welfare staff has opened an inquiry. According to that coverage, the parents currently share custody and rely on third parties for child handoffs while that review remains open.
Production pause and what we know
The fallout has quickly reached the show’s schedule. Entertainment press, including Marie Claire, reports that filming reportedly stopped in mid-March while the latest allegations are investigated. The outlet notes that the pause leaves the series’ production timeline uncertain.
Industry sources who spoke with various outlets say the shutdown came soon after the new claims surfaced. For now, details about internal production decisions, including how long the halt might last or how the show may address the situation on air, have not been made public.
Legal status and what the plea means
Local reporting on Paul’s 2023 criminal case outlines the consequences tied to her plea arrangement. Under the plea-in-abeyance, she was placed on supervised probation, ordered to complete evaluations and treatment, and given a review date that will determine what happens next.
KSL reported that if Paul completes the terms of that agreement, the aggravated assault charge can be reduced to a misdemeanor after the review period.
For now, investigators have not released a full public accounting of the newest allegations, and many key details remain under wraps. What is clear is that the pause on a high-profile reality series shows how fast personal and legal disputes can upend a production calendar and reshape a cast member’s public image while courts and agencies continue their work.
