Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo reportedly ignoring lawyers’ advice to have children together after divorce
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo reportedly waived legal counsel's advice to seek additional expert guidance on having children together after ending their marriage, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
The former couple acknowledged being advised about potential legal implications surrounding reproduction after divorce but chose not to seek separate counsel. Their divorce was finalized on July 17 after ten years of marriage.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo waive additional legal counsel after finalizing divorce
According to the former couple's marital dissolution agreement, Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, and Bunnie Xo, whose real name is Alisa DeFord, were each separately advised by their respective attorneys about the legal process involved in having children together after dissolving their marriage.
The agreement states that both were informed there could be "consequences" to pursuing reproduction together while finalizing their divorce "due to evolving technology and case law; as well as the 'interim category' of interest afforded to said genetic materials."
The filing also notes that their attorneys acknowledged they were not experts "with regard to genetic and reproductive rights" and directed both of them to seek independent advice from "qualified expert counsel."
However, according to the documents, the former couple "specifically chosen not to seek such counsel." The filing further states that they also waived legal counsel regarding tax advice, real estate advice and Social Security matters.
On July 17, the pair finalized their divorce after ten years of marriage. As part of the settlement, the former couple divided their homes, cars, an aircraft and their intellectual properties, while he also made a one-time confidential lump-sum payment to her, eliminating any future alimony claims.
Before the divorce was finalized, Bunnie Xo revealed on her podcast that their settlement would be completed within the next three weeks.
Bunnie Xo opens up about co-parenting plans with Jelly Roll
During the June 18 episode of 'Dumb Blonde,' Bunnie Xo revealed that despite ending their marriage, the former couple still planned to have a child together. "We're literally settling our divorce in like... We've done it in like, what? Three weeks? Two weeks?" she said, before adding, "We're still having a baby together."
"So, we have been the most unconventional couple that you guys have ever encountered," she continued, "We're going to co-parent together. J is my best friend. Like, this isn't what you guys think this is. Nobody cheated on the other person. It's literally just we served our purpose for each other."
Bunnie Xo also acknowledged that listeners would need "to understand why this is happening, where this is coming from, and what we're doing moving forward." Addressing public reaction, she said, "Our future is so much more important and being happy and healthy and best friends through this is probably the biggest gift that we could have given each other."
The country singer has two children from previous relationships, daughter Bailee and son Noah. She shared that throughout their marriage, they tried several times to conceive and lost four embryos. "It wrecked me emotionally, spiritually, physically," she said, explaining that both were on hormones while trying to have a child together. "In a way, I kind of think J and I are trauma-bonded."
Reflecting on the split, Bunnie Xo said, "It was not mutual." Although she believed they should have gone to therapy to "figure out," she said the former couple is now "ending this marriage on the best possible terms that you could ever have a divorce."