Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul‘s attempt to keep her legal war with Dakota Mortensen private was rejected in court.
TMZ reported, “On Monday, a judge denied Taylor’s request to seal Thursday’s upcoming protective order hearing and keep the media out. TFP’s case will be treated like any other case, despite the massive public attention surrounding the Hulu reality event.”
The legal deets:
During the status conference, Taylor’s attorney, Eric Swinyard, argued the hearing set for Thursday will be far more substantive than previous proceedings and will dive into serious allegations made by both sides.
Swinyard warned the case has already attracted “hundreds of thousands of viewers” online and argued continued public access could create long-term consequences for the exes’ 2-year-old son. Taylor’s lawyer worries that Ever may later be confronted by classmates over the intimate details of the case.
TFP’s attorney also appeared to suggest Dakota may have played a role in the release of the 2023 incident video, which was obtained by TMZ, noting it surfaced the same day Dakota filed for his protective order. Dakota’s team quickly denied Taylor’s allegation.
Dakota’s lawyer, Daniela Diaz, opposed sealing the proceedings. Diaz argued the dispute is already public. She noted that TFP’s own legal team previously presented allegations and evidence in open court.
The child’s court-appointed representative said he understood concerns about how the case could impact the child later in life … but didn’t take a position on whether the courtroom should be closed.
Ultimately, the judge wasn’t buying Taylor’s argument … saying he has to treat this case like every other similar case, even if it’s become a major media spectacle.
