COMPLAINT TO OREGON STATE BAR:      Phil Ringle
 

Contact_FullName:                         James Wellman
Contact_Title:                           
Contact_Organization:                    
Contact_WorkPhone:                        717-336-6334
Contact_Email:                            jwellman@ptd.net
types:                                   

This Oregon lawyer lied to me. This Oregon lawyer
lied to a judge or court.

This Oregon lawyer made me sign blank forms.

This Oregon lawyer
refuses to communicate with me.

This Oregon lawyer betrayed me by revealing confidential
secrets

This Oregon lawyer has dragged out the case.

This Oregon lawyer has overbilled me
for hours.


facts:

In 2004 my sister was in a horrible marriage with no way out.  She had no income and a
child by this marriage who has special needs with ADHD.

Her spouse knew she had no money and no way to end the marriage.  At first we tried to
find a pro-bono atty to handle this case.  I'm in PA and she is in the Portland, OR, area.
 We were not able to find one who could help her. 

We found Mr. Phil Ringle and on a phone conversation it was indicated that he would do the
filing and represent my sister for her divorce.  At the time it was estimated the fee
would be about $2,000 for his work.

Over the course of several months, missed court dates by her spouse and other delays the
divorce was finally completed.

For over two years now I have not heard from Mr. Ringle in any fashion.  The last
correspondence I received from him was a one page statement to another client, not to me
or my sister.

Now, this month, I am contacted by Metro Area Collection Agency telling me that I owe over
$10,000 due and payable now.  MACS claims they were just made aware of this information. 
In order for Mr. Ringle to accept the case I was required to co-sign the paperwork. 

During the discovery process, trials and other times I have received no information about
the billing or charges until now.  There is no way I can provide MACS or Mr. Ringle this
amount.  I lost my job last year and I''m living on 1/2 of my Army pension, my wife's
social security disability.  Since I'm not employed I can't refinance my home.  Even so, I
do not believe that all resources have been made to my sister to comply with this
obligation.

Further, I do not believe that Mr. Ringle has made reasonable attempts to work through
this process with either of us especially now that I'm presented with a bill that, from
our first discussion, should be about $2,000 and not $10,000+.

Please help us.

thank you,

jim