Demi and Ashton: what's holding up divorce? Demi and Ashton Are Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher back together? They haven't gotten a...

Demi and Ashton: what's holding up divorce?

Demi and Ashton

Are Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher back together? They haven't gotten a divorce yet, after all.

—Innocent Blessed, via the inbox

There have been some signs of detente, if not reconciliation, since the two announced their split in November. The former couple was spotted less than a month ago being not-hostile to each other at a birthday party for a mutual friend, and have been described as "friendly."

But a lack of divorce papers does not necessarily mean the return of @mrskutcher, you know:

Because, think about it, if Demi and Ashton were back together, don't you think they'd announce in it a huge overblown Twitter announcement filled with sexual back-and-forth?

No, divorce lawyers suspect just the opposite.

"More likely than not, they're quietly working this out behind the scenes, either by themselves or with attorneys and mediators," suggests divorce attorney Steve Mindel. If that's the case, don't be surprised if you see a sudden filing followed by a very quick, and likely very private, judgment.

It's unclear whether there's a prenup involved, but even if there is, that doesn't guarantee smooth divorce sailing.

"No matter how well the attorneys and accountants and managers get together and coordinate these agreements, there are always questions," Mindel explains. "All those have to be worked out. The devil is always in the details."

If Ashton and Demi are just delaying a filing so that they can iron out details in private, they won't be the first couple to take that route. When Michael Jordan split from wife Juanita after 17 years of marriage, they filed for divorce and got a judgment of dissolution essentially the same day—meaning that some negotiations must have been going on in the weeks prior.

Believe me, when either Demi or Ashton files for divorce, you'll hear about it. Probably on Twitter.