Taylor Frankie Paul's planned season of "The Bachelorette" was canceled in March 2026 after a newly released video and an active domestic assault investigation drew fresh attention to her past and present legal issues.

Police in Utah have said they are investigating allegations tied to Paul and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, while earlier court records show Paul pleaded guilty in 2023 to aggravated assault in a separate incident.

February 2023

Police arrested Paul on Feb. 17, 2023, after a domestic dispute with Mortensen in Utah. Court records and reporting said the case involved allegations that she threw chairs and other objects during the fight, with one of her children present.

The 2023 case led to several charges, including aggravated assault, domestic violence in the presence of a child causing injury, child abuse, and criminal mischief. Reporting later noted that the incident became a major part of Paul's public image because it was documented in court records and discussed in the media.

August 2023

In August 2023, Paul pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault. Four other charges were dismissed, and the plea was held in abeyance for three years, meaning the offense could be reduced if she met the court's requirements.

That plea remained important in 2026 when the earlier case resurfaced alongside new allegations and a leaked video. News outlets reported that the 2023 body-camera footage and the court history helped renew scrutiny of Paul's conduct, according to E! News.

September 2025

On Sept. 10, 2025, ABC announced Paul as the next lead of "The Bachelorette" during an appearance on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast. The announcement made her one of the franchise's most unusual casting choices because she came from "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," not "Bachelor Nation."

At the time, the network and Paul presented the casting as a major franchise move. She also said she would continue appearing on Hulu's "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," which made her a central figure across two reality-TV properties.

February 2026

By late February 2026, police in Utah were already reviewing a new domestic assault complaint involving Paul and Mortensen. A Draper City Police Department spokesperson said contact was made with the involved parties on Feb. 24 and 25, and that allegations had been made in both directions, People reported.

Fox News reported that detectives were examining video believed to show an incident from early to mid-2024, based on the complaint reported at the end of February 2026. That inquiry was separate from the 2023 arrest and plea.

March 2026

The situation escalated in mid-March when People and other outlets reported an open domestic assault investigation involving Paul and Mortensen. Paul described the moment as a "heavy time" in a Mar. 17 appearance, while the police department said the investigation was ongoing.

On Mar. 19, ABC canceled Paul's season of "The Bachelorette" after TMZ published video from the 2023 incident. Disney said it would not move forward with the season, and reporting said the network wanted to protect the family while the fallout continued.

The same day, Mortensen publicly addressed the allegations and denied claims against him, while saying the video showed a troubling situation. Separate reports said filming for "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" season 5 was paused as the investigation continued.

March 2026, late

By Mar. 24 and 25, police and entertainment outlets said they were examining a third alleged domestic violence incident tied to an event from 2024. Reports said the case involved a video reviewed by detectives, and the investigation remained active as of late March, as per The Guardian.

Tags
Domestic abuse, Assault, Scandal, Controversy, The bachelorette