Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo’s divorce may be finalized, but one part of their story is still raising eyebrows. According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the former couple was separately advised by their lawyers to seek additional legal counsel about their plan to have children together after divorce. But both Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo chose not to seek that extra advice.
For fans who have followed their unusual breakup, the detail adds another complicated layer to a divorce that has never fit the usual celebrity pattern.
Their Divorce Is Final, but Their Family Plan Is Not Over
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, and Bunnie Xo, whose real name is Alisa DeFord, finalized their divorce on July 17, 2026, after nearly 10 years of marriage. Their settlement divided major assets, including homes, vehicles, an aircraft and intellectual property. Jelly Roll also made a one-time confidential lump-sum payment to Bunnie, meaning there will be no future alimony claims handled in court.
But unlike many divorcing couples, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have continued to speak about having a child together.
That is what makes this situation so unusual.
Their marriage is over.
Their legal relationship has changed.
But their reproductive plans may still continue.
Lawyers Warned Them About Possible Legal Issues
According to PEOPLE’s report, the former couple’s marital dissolution agreement states that both were advised by their attorneys about possible legal consequences tied to having children together after divorce. The documents also noted that their lawyers were not specialists in reproductive rights and advised them to consult separate experts.
But the filing says Jelly Roll and Bunnie “specifically” chose not to seek that additional counsel.
That does not mean they are doing anything illegal.
It simply means they were warned that this kind of arrangement could involve complicated legal questions — and they decided not to get more specialized legal advice before moving forward.
Why This Is So Complicated
Having children after divorce can create serious legal questions.
When IVF, embryos, surrogacy, parental rights, custody, finances and future co-parenting are involved, the situation becomes even more complex. That is likely why their lawyers advised them to speak with counsel who specializes in reproductive rights.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie’s case is especially unusual because their divorce is final, but they have still spoken publicly about wanting to co-parent future children.
Most celebrity divorces move in the opposite direction: separation, distance, new households and separate futures.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie seem to be trying to build something different.
Bunnie Previously Said They Still Planned to Have a Baby
After news of the split broke, Bunnie addressed the divorce on her Dumb Blonde podcast and said she and Jelly Roll still planned to have a baby together. Reports noted that Jelly Roll already has two children from previous relationships: daughter Bailee Ann and son Noah.
Bunnie also described their relationship as unconventional, saying that she and Jelly Roll would continue to co-parent and remain best friends even though the marriage was ending.
That public statement helped explain why the divorce confused so many fans.
They were splitting up.
But they were not cutting each other out.
Their IVF Journey Has Been Painful
Part of why the baby conversation is so emotional is the couple’s long fertility journey.
According to PEOPLE, Jelly Roll and Bunnie had been trying to grow their family for years and had faced painful setbacks, including the loss of four embryos during IVF treatments. Bunnie has spoken about that journey on her podcast and in her memoir.
That history makes the decision feel less sudden.
For them, having a child together was not a random idea that appeared after the divorce.
It was something they had already been pursuing while married.
Now the question is whether they can continue that dream under a completely different legal and emotional reality.
Fans Are Divided Over the Decision
The public reaction has been mixed.
Some fans admire the idea that two people can end a marriage without ending their friendship or shared dreams. They see Jelly Roll and Bunnie as two people refusing to follow a traditional divorce script.
Others are concerned.
They wonder whether having a child together after divorce could create confusion, emotional pressure or future legal battles.
Both reactions make sense.
This is not a simple story.
It is a deeply personal decision unfolding in public, and the legal documents show that even their own lawyers believed the couple should get more specialized guidance.
Their Split Has Already Been Surrounded by Rumors
The baby-plan revelation comes after weeks of speculation about what really happened between Jelly Roll and Bunnie.
Both have publicly denied that cheating caused the divorce. Jelly Roll told fans during a concert that he and Bunnie would remain best friends, while Bunnie said on her podcast that the split was not what people thought.
Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee Ann, also pushed back against online rumors and said the internet did not know the full story behind the divorce.
That makes the latest court-document detail even more sensitive.
Fans may want answers.
But the people involved seem determined to control how much of the story becomes public.
Bunnie Has Also Pulled Back From Sharing Too Much
Bunnie recently deleted a podcast episode about the divorce, later explaining that she did not want one of the hardest moments of her life to become a permanent headline.
That decision matters in light of this new report.
Bunnie has built a career on being open, raw and unfiltered. But even she seems to recognize that some parts of this breakup are too personal — or too complicated — to keep feeding into the internet cycle.
The court documents may reveal one part of the story, but they do not reveal the full emotional reality behind it.
A Divorce Unlike Any Other in Country Music
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo’s relationship has always been unconventional.
They were open about their pasts, their struggles, their loyalty and their very public love story. Fans saw them as a couple built on survival, second chances and brutal honesty.
Now, even their divorce is unconventional.
They are legally separating.
They are dividing assets.
They are ending the marriage.
But they are still talking about friendship, co-parenting and possibly having children together.
That is why this story continues to fascinate fans.
It does not fit neatly into one category.
The Biggest Question Is What Comes Next
The court documents show that Jelly Roll and Bunnie were advised to seek more legal help before continuing with their baby plans after divorce.
They chose not to.
That decision may never become a major issue.
Or it may become one of the most important parts of their post-divorce future.
For now, the only thing clear is that Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo are still writing their own rules.
Their marriage is over.
Their bond appears to remain.
And their family story may not be finished yet.
