SAN FRANCISCO (Northern California Record) — Pasadena attorney George Mason Turner, practicing in California for nearly 50 years, faces possible disbarment by default following a recently announced California State Bar Court recommendation regarding alleged misconduct in a single client matter.
In addition to disbarment, the state bar court also recommended Turner be ordered to pay restitution plus interest to his former client, according to the eight-page decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment issued Aug. 13 by the state bar court.
Turner was charged with six counts of misconduct, including alleged failures to maintain client funds in trust, pay client funds promptly, provide an accounting and perform legal services with competence, in addition to commingling and misappropriating more than $18,000.
Turner has another disciplinary matter pending, according to the decision and order.
Turner failed to participate in person or via counsel and state bar's decision and order for disbarment was entered by default. In such cases, when an attorney fails to participate in a State Bar of California disciplinary proceeding despite adequate notice and opportunity, the bar invokes Rule 5.85, which provides the procedure for the state bar to recommend an attorney's disbarment.
The state bar's recommendation is pending final action by the California Supreme Court, an appeal before the state bar's review department or expiration of time in which parties can request further review within the state bar court.
The state bar court's recommendation included an involuntary inactive enrollment order that rendered Turner involuntarily enrolled as an inactive member of the State Bar of California. That order was effective three calendar days after service, according to the recommendation.
Turner's recommended discipline was among dispositions filed earlier this month by the state bar court's hearing department for August.
Turner was admitted to the bar in California on June 27, 1969, according to his profile at the state bar website. The state bar's client security fund has made no payments as a result of Turner's alleged misconduct, according to the decision and order.
In December 2017, Turner informed the senior trial counsel assigned to the matter that he then was 83 and in poor health, according to the decision and order. The state bar's entry for default was entered in February and the case was submitted for decision in July.