I hired Jim Ratzer after letting go of a previous attorney that I did not believe was performing well. During my initial consult with Jim Razter, he told me I had a very good case against my husband and he would get me the fair amount I was requesting. He told me that I was entitled to 1/2 of the community property during the time I was married. He also said that because my name was on the title of a certain property, that no matter what I would get ¼ of that property as per the trust agreement. After he explained this to me, I believed he could follow through with what he told me so I retained him as my attorney. He started the paperwork process, and asked me to bring every communication/record I had regarding income and properties. I took a whole box of documents to him! He mentioned that we were going to depose my ex-husband regarding the trust and the title of the business property. When the day came to depose my ex, Jim had not prepared for the deposition. Luckily, I had a list of questions I had prepared for Jim to ask my ex husband. When we went through the deposition he did not follow up on the answers my ex gave, and he closed the deposition before getting all the answers. It was a 3 hour deposition. It was an incomplete and unsatisfactory deposition because my ex was playing games ...acting sick and old. Jim Razter seemed to be siding with him. It was at this time that I started to realize that Jim Ratzer favors the male clients regardless of who he represents. My ex made an offer, after the deposition, that was not an acceptable offer. It was WAY too low. Shortly after this, Jim Ratzer asked me to sign an agreement that stated my case would be solved and he, Jim Razter, would get paid $50,000. from my ex for settling the case. I was confused. I questioned Jim, as I was paying my own attorney fees to him, about the $50,000 and asked that this would be applied toward my OWN attorney fees. Jim Ratzer said "oh no, that money will be for payment from your ex to me for settling the case." I don't know what the law is regarding this, but I believe it was a bribe. And I don't think it was lawful. I reported this to the Court. Finally, the last straw with Jim Razter representing me was when he tried to get me to sign a settlement agreement without receiving and reviewing all documents related to the settlement. He screamed at me and told me to sign the agreement. He also said that it was a good settlement and that he was going to be my financial advisor and handle all my money, giving me a monthly allowance to support myself. I believe that it is against the law. I knew, without a doubt, that it was in fact NOT a fair settlement and would not sign the agreement. I fired him a few days later. In the end, I recently finalized my case and received 3 times more than the amount in the settlement offer that Jim Ratzer wanted me to sign! If you are a woman, I would run in the opposite direction of Ratzer Family Law. read more