Former Vanderpump Rules star Brittany Cartwright has been granted a temporary restraining order against her estranged husband Jax Taylor amid their ongoing divorce.
Cartwright filed a declaration detailing alleged abuse at the L.A. Superior Court on Thursday. A judge ordered Taylor to stay at least 100 yards away from her.
The 37-year-old reality television personality also filed for sole custody of the couple's five-year-old son Cruz, who is autistic. TMZ reported that the presiding judge denied the temporary custody request pending a formal court hearing.
In her court declaration, Cartwright alleged that Taylor, 47, threatened to "gut" her "like a f***ing fish" and "f***ing kill her" during a violent argument in July 2024. She stated that Taylor threw furniture at her during the incident, leaving her physically injured.
Photos submitted with the court filing show Cartwright with a swollen and bruised knee. She stated the injury occurred after being struck by a coffee table that Taylor threw at her.
Cartwright also accused Taylor in the declaration of breaking three of her mobile phones and an iPad during the same altercation. Additional photographs included in the court documents show the couple's home in severe disarray following the event.
Allegations of Abuse and Text Message Disputes
In her declaration, Cartwright accused Taylor of a sustained pattern of mistreatment over several years. She stated that she suffered "coercive control, financial abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, gaslighting and even physical violence perpetrated upon me".
Cartwright further alleged that Taylor repeatedly used degrading language toward her in front of their young son. The court document states he called her names including a "fat ass b***h", "fatty", and "whore".
The court filing included screenshots of a text message exchange between the couple dated July 15. The argument began after Taylor arrived at Cartwright's residence to pick up their son.
"Plan on the state dropping by twice a week unexpectedly. I don't feel comfortable with your alcoholism and animal droppings to be left the floor for my son to see or step on," Taylor allegedly wrote.
Cartwright replied: "You have been warned I will call police for trespassing and again my son is signed up for camp and going to We Rock the Spectrum. YOU ARE NOT MY BOSS. Grow up and leave me alone you are sick and will never change."
Taylor responded: "Are you threatening me that sounds like a threat?"
Cartwright answered: "This is not a threat this is my home. I am advising you I do not feel safe or comfortable with you stepping foot around me or my property. Pickups will be done on the street through Zuly."
She added: "After you banged cursed and screamed in front of my son at my front door I no longer feel safe with you on my home property and I am advising you that doing so is trespassing."
Jax Taylor Responds to Court Allegations
Following inquiries sent by reporters, Taylor released a public statement on social media on Friday addressing Cartwright's court claims.
"I made a lot of mistakes and behaved in ways during that period of my life that I'm truly ashamed of and regret and take full responsibility for," Taylor wrote.
"The person I was in 2024, during the darkest time of my life and at the height of my addiction, is not the person I am today. I got help, went to treatment, and today I'm 1 year and 9 months sober. I've remained committed to treatment and therapy, working on myself and changing my life," he continued.
Taylor disputed the allegations made in the court filing. "I was shocked to see claims about alleged incidents from over two years ago being brought up now, especially when there have never been any police reports filed or criminal charges brought against me related to them. There are allegations being made that I strongly dispute. The full story, context and evidence will be addressed where it belongs, in court."
He concluded: "I will respect the court's orders and the legal process. My focus continues to be my sobriety, working on my mental health, being the best father I can be to Cruz and moving forward in a healthy and responsible way. All I can do is own my mistakes, stay committed to the changes I've made and make sure the choices I make today reflect the man and father I want to be."
Reality Television History and Public Split
Cartwright and Taylor were together from 2015 until their split in 2024. Taylor was an original cast member on Bravo's flagship reality series Vanderpump Rules, while Cartwright joined the cast in 2016 for its fifth season.
Both personalities were dropped from Vanderpump Rules at the conclusion of season eight in 2020. They returned to television in 2024 for the spin-off series The Valley, which follows former Vanderpump Rules stars navigating family life in Southern California.
Taylor appeared on the first two seasons of The Valley before exiting the show last year. His exit came as he sought treatment for mental health issues and substance abuse following the breakdown of his marriage.
In July, it emerged that Taylor was secretly dating Lori Krebs, who was Cartwright's longtime publicist and former close friend. Cartwright described the relationship as a "complete betrayal" and noted she had previously considered Krebs "family" during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live earlier this month.
Cartwright explained that Krebs was still receiving a financial retainer as her active representative when the romance began, just hours before photos of Taylor and Krebs in Mexico were published by TMZ.
"She was still getting a retainer from me, still making 10% on things from me, she was still my friend... family, basically," Cartwright said on the show.
Taylor responded to Cartwright's television interview in a comment posted to an Instagram update shared by the Bravo program. In a since-deleted comment reported by Us Weekly, Taylor wrote: "The amount of blatant lies in this interview is unbelievable."
Taylor has also accused Cartwright of attempting to sabotage his career opportunities following their split.
"What hurts the most is feeling like no matter how hard I work to rebuild my life, move forward or earn new opportunities, there are constant attempts to tear those opportunities away," Taylor said.
