Christian Russell Franz

I hired Chris based on a long-standing family connection and decades of history with my family on Bainbridge Island. I trusted that relationship, and that trust was a mistake. What should have been a straightforward parenting plan turned into a four-year ordeal costing tens of thousands of dollars.... I was repeatedly told that each new charge would be the “final” bill, only to receive additional invoices. After trial, I was charged over $10,000 for “final documents” to be drafted. Through emails he sent to opposing counsel, I later learned that he frequently blamed me for delays in the case. At one point, he told me to “watch my mouth,” as he withdrew on the day of court, costing me an additional $4,200 in fees. Hours of prep I did for him and emails and documents I paid for - down the drain for him to show up unprepared. That is not effective legal advocacy; it is a failure of professional responsibility. In my opinion that is cowardly behavior and astonishingly cruel. After seeking new representation, I learned not only that many mistakes were made by him but also that my experience was not unique. He has a reputation island wide. If this is how a long-time family friend is treated, I strongly caution anyone considering hiring him. This experience caused significant financial and emotional stress, and I would not recommend his services to anyone. Save yourself the time, money, and hardship and look elsewhere for representation.

This attorney literally racked up the charges for every little thing. Even when my ex and I had agreed to everything he continued to draw our case out. He billed us for all the times he couldn’t remember that we had already addressed things. It’s as if he was scared as the opposing counsel. Find some...one else seriously. Wish I saw these other reviews before I ever hired him.

Gave a $2000.00 retainer for divorce June 16th, 2016. After multiple phone calls over a year period nothing (NOTHING) was done! My check was cashed, I have the cancelled check right here. Now it is December 1st, 2017 and now I have to write a letter to get my money back? WTF! Don't ever use this A HO...LE and I'll be writing a letter to the bar association.

I was pulled over for a tail light being out over Memorial Day weekend 2010, as I was pulling in to my apartment driveway.The policemen smelled alcohol, I told him I'd had a couple of beers. Did the field sobriety test, I can't balance on one leg straight or sober, bad hips. He breathalyzed me and... I blew a .086. First time I've ever been in trouble and I was mortified. The officer said that I'd crossed a yellow line and was driving on the wrong side of the road, not true! I crossed 2 yellow lines ( the turning lane) to get in to my apartment driveway, that's the only way to get in to the parking lot, it's not an illegal move. The officer lied about that and also said that he would take the tail light charge off of my ticket, as if he were doing me a favor, but later I realized, after reading the ticket, he made it look as if I were driving on the wrong side of the road and that's why he pulled me over, lying SOB! Since this has happened to me, I've heard terrible stories about this cop abusing his power, I'm filing a complaint against him next, didn't know that I could! I was scared, in a new town, didn't know anyone, I've never been in trouble before and I call a local lawyer- Mr. Franz. Big mistake! Should have called a professional DUI lawyer like Steve Bennet. Mr. Franz said "give me $2000 and I'll make it go away on your record, you'll do 2 years probation and that will be it". He also said "not to worry about going to the DMV courts" which was a total misrepresentation on his part to ignore. Stupid me, trusting Mr. Franz with my best interests at heart. I have been in compliance with my probation, I don't drink and drive, I've done all my courses etc... But since Mr. Franz neglected to represent me in the DMV courts, I now have a .08 on my drivers abstract, and that stays on your record FOREVER ! This means that I cannot go to Canada. It also means that I cannot apply for any of the high security background jobs that I once held before I owned a catering company and now my own restaurant. I know that it was wrong of me to drive after drinking. I get it, never again. Over the last 18 months, I've heard story after story of people getting off on DUI charges that have blown twice the limit as I did. One of them used public defenders, which are free, the others have used proper DUI lawyers. Not that I think that this is a good thing. I would have been more accepting of my charges had I been so dangerously over the limit. It's a little scary that these people are getting off and recommitting crimes, even killing people. But I made a bad mistake, and was busted in my driveway. I was already home, and not pulled over for reckless driving, just a tail light. So thank you Mr. Franz, for not doing your job, and ruining my chances of gainful employment in the future. You didn't even want to hear about my side of the story with the cop. So far I've gone all the way through the interviewing process for 2 flight attendant jobs,only to be rejected for having a .08 on my abstract. I'm up for a position now. It's a great job, based in NY, with free apartment and $75k a year, but I'm expecting that once they do my security background check, I won't get that job either because Mr Franz neglected to peruse the DMV courts and I will forever have that .08 on my driver's abstract. Unfortunately, I have to meet with Mr. Franz for my probation hearing in July, and I'm not looking forward to this. I just want to scream at him for not doing his job properly and just taking the $2000 and not thinking about it twice. What an ahole! DO NOT USE MR. FRANZ FOR A DUI, get a professional. Maybe he's better a practicing other types of law but not DUI cases, be warned! Dirt bag lawyers! Greed is the only thing that drives them. Great that he wanted the money up front as well. Using mr. Franz was worse than losing my kidney in 1990. But the BEST advise I can give you is DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!