Collab Facts — plain facts about collaborative divorce

Somebody pointed you toward something called a ‘collaborative divorce’ — your spouse, a friend, a therapist, a financial advisor, a lawyer, maybe even the person who cuts your hair.Here’s a plain explanation of what it actually is, from a divorce lawyer who has nothing to sell you. Start wherever you are.

Start where you are

Most people start here I just want to know what it is. A plain explanation of the process, start to finish — no prior knowledge needed.
I’m weighing my own divorce. Why would anyone choose this instead of going to court?
My spouse (or their lawyer) wants one — and I’m not sure I trust it. Word came from them, or in a letter from their attorney, maybe with a list of names. Is this a setup?

Who I am (and who I’m not)

I’m Cristi Trusler. I’m a divorce lawyer in Texas, and I’ve been doing this since 2002. I’m not here to sell you anything, and nothing on this page changes depending on who you hire. I made this because there’s a process most people have never heard of until they’re standing in your shoes — and almost nobody gets to hear about it from someone with no reason to spin them. So that’s the deal here: straight facts, free, with nothing attached.

What this site is

Sometimes collaborative isn’t the right call, and I’ll tell you that too. This isn’t a pitch — it’s a plain explanation you can read before you talk to anybody, so you know enough to tell whether a lawyer is being straight with you. Take what’s useful and pass it on.

The questions, in plain language.

Tap any one. There’s nothing to sign up for.