Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19 spotlight: Travis Mullen’s custody issues spill into the show

Travis Mullen’s ongoing custody battle has become one of the most significant off-screen storylines to surface on The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19, with the legal conflict now affecting the relationship dynamics viewers see between him and longtime partner Gina Kirschenheiter.

The dispute, which escalated throughout the fall, includes a judge temporarily suspending Mullen’s time with one of his sons and denying his request for emergency sole custody.

RHOC Star Gina Kirschenheiter’s boyfriend, Travis Mullen, faces a custody suspension in a court fight

At an October 30 hearing, an Orange County Superior Court judge denied Mullen’s emergency bid for sole custody, which he filed one day earlier.

As part of the ruling, the court “suspended” his time with one of his three children.

Another hearing is scheduled for November 18, where both Mullen and his ex-wife, Meghan Mullen, will present arguments.

The court also appointed an attorney to represent the three children — Presley (born 2011), Bennett (born 2014), and Joseph (born 2016) — in ongoing proceedings.

In his filing, Travis alleged that Meghan had not allowed him to see one of the children since September 29.

He also wrote that he attempted to involve law enforcement to enforce the standing custody agreement, saying he contacted “local police” but that “they have not been helpful.”

In a declaration submitted to the court, Travis wrote, 

“I am concerned for [the son’s welfare] and feel that the ‘system’ has completely failed him.” He continued, “This behavior on the part of [Meghan] has been occurring for over a year, and I feel that nobody is advocating for his son. I need assistance from the court to ensure that [his son’s] needs are met, that my son and I continue to have a close and loving relationship.”

He also claimed that one of the children had missed a significant amount of school and that officials were “threatening to call the District Attorney.”

Meghan responded with her own filing, disputing Travis’s claims. She stated, 

“Travis continues to misuse the court process to get his way.”

She also alleged, 

“His [court] filings appear intended to punish and control me, not to protect the children. Travis is using the family court system as a tool of coercive control and retaliation. In addition to litigation abuse.”

Meghan told the court that the child at the center of the dispute “does not want to see Travis” and stated that she was addressing the school-related concerns.

She also accused Travis of exposing their children to commentary from strangers due to his “media appearances,” referencing his presence on The Real Housewives of Orange County.

Travis denied that the show had any negative impact on the children and emphasized that they do not appear on the series.

The legal conflict also included accusations from each side claiming the other interfered with phone communication.

Travis refuted Meghan’s allegation directly, saying, 

“This is another false allegation offered by [Meghan]. It was actually [Meghan] that would deny me phone contact with the children. Further, I have never punished the children for wanting to talk to their mother, and never said that they could not call their mom.”

As the custody proceedings continued, their impact became increasingly visible on Season 19 of The Real Housewives of Orange County.

The show has followed Gina as she attempts to navigate the emotional strain of the situation.

In one conversation captured on camera, Gina said,

“It’s up and down. Last night was horrible because he’s basically breaking up with me.”

In another moment, she added, 

“I do understand that this is my decision, and I understand that this is something that I feel that I need, and I understand that that hurts Travis.”

Throughout The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19, Gina has discussed the challenges of balancing her own children with Travis’s three children while also managing the turbulence of his continued legal battle.

The blended-family dynamic, which has been a recurring focus in past seasons, takes on new urgency as the custody case escalates.

The season further highlights how the couple's shared household has been affected.

Earlier episodes referenced the pressure of managing six children under one roof and the emotional weight placed on their day-to-day life.

Gina has spoken about needing stability at a time when ongoing court developments continue to disrupt their routine.

With the November 18 hearing approaching, The Real Housewives of Orange County documents not only the couple’s personal struggles but also the real-world legal complexities that influence their relationship.

As the season progresses, the impact of the custody proceedings remains one of the most prominent — and consequential — threads shaping their storyline.

Stay tuned for more updates.