YARMOUTH — A former town councilor and trustee of the Cumberland County Civic Center was suspended indefinitely from practicing law on Feb. 10 by Maine Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Joseph J. Jabar.

Warren M. Turner, who practiced at a Portland Street office, was suspended because of grievances regarding his failure to appear at scheduled court dates, return calls from clients and return client records, according to the complaint filed in October by the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar.

Turner’s law license was placed under administrative suspension Oct. 18, 2011, because of his failure to renew his registration and complete legal education courses needed to fulfill license renewal, the board said.

In its complaint seeking the indefinite suspension, the board noted Turner has not responded to three grievance complaints filed last fall, or the petition for his suspension.

South Portland attorney Thomas Ainsworth was appointed a receiver for Turner’s practice on Oct. 24, but Turner has not complied with requests to relinquish office files or a computer so Ainsworth can close the practice.

In granting the suspension request, Jabar noted Turner’s “numerous violations of the Maine Rules of Professional Conduct” made him “a threat to clients, the public and to the administration of justice.”

Turner was a town councilor from 1976-1982, 1984-1990 and 1998-2003. He served as a Civic Center trustee about 15 years ago.

David Harry can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 110 or dharry@theforecaster.net. Follow David on Twitter: @DavidHarry8.