Exes of Taylor Frankie Paul Criticize Her Response to Utah Child Welfare Petition
Taylor Frankie Paul's former partners allege she downplayed a Utah child-welfare petition seeking juvenile court jurisdiction over their children, while their attorney emphasized the seriousness of the filing.
Former partners of Taylor Frankie Paul, Tate Paul and Dakota Mortensen, have accused her of minimizing a Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) petition that asks a juvenile court to assume jurisdiction over their children. Their shared attorney, Chad Shattuck, said the filing is not a routine matter and that DCFS is seeking a finding that the children are "abused, neglected or dependent" with an expedited hearing for their immediate protection.
"The petition filed by DCFS this week is not a routine transition to juvenile court or an opportunity for personal growth. DCFS has asked the Court to find that the children are abused and has requested an expedited hearing concerning their immediate protection," Shattuck told TMZ.
Shattuck added that the ex-partners appreciate DCFS's intervention and called for better coordination among family courts, law enforcement, prosecutors and child-welfare agencies, noting that warning signs had been overlooked despite recent legislative changes.
"Tate and Dakota are grateful that DCFS has taken these concerns seriously and is stepping in to protect the children. They share the serious concern that the family court system, law enforcement, prosecutors, and child-welfare agencies need meaningful coordination necessary to understand the situation and act in a manner most likely to protect the children," the lawyer said.
The petition seeks a court order that the children meet Utah's legal definition of "abused, neglected or dependent," requests protective supervision, the appointment of a guardian ad litem, and any additional orders deemed in the children's best interests. Shattuck said the ex-partners remain focused on protecting the children and plan to share their perspective in a formal setting when appropriate.
"Despite the myriad false accusations published online and on social media about them by Taylor and others, Tate and Dakota have chosen not to participate in the often misconstrued social media and other online activity surrounding their cases. They have remained silent to protect their children, not because they have nothing to say. When the time is right, they will tell their story in their own words in the appropriate forum," he concluded.