22.06.2026 21:30
The long-awaited 30-article 12th Judicial Package has been submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). The comprehensive package, which introduces sweeping changes to the legal system, includes dozens of radical reforms directly affecting citizens, ranging from a three-month limit on court recesses, to 'relative priority' preventing inherited properties from going to foreigners, to the removal of sentence suspension for torture crimes, and flexibility in e-hearings.
The long-awaited 30-article 12th Judicial Package has been submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). With the new legal regulation, a 3-month limit has been introduced between court hearings, while many groundbreaking reforms are being implemented, such as granting priority to relatives in the sale of inherited property and removing the suspension of sentences for torture crimes.
THE "TURTLE PACE" ERA IN TRIALS ENDS
The new package addresses the biggest complaint in courthouses: the prolonged duration of cases lasting for years. In civil courts, unless a justifiable and mandatory reason is provided, the period between two hearings cannot exceed 3 months. This will prevent cases from dragging on indefinitely.
The Court of Cassation will no longer overturn a decision solely due to technical procedural errors like jurisdiction or authority, if the essence of the case has been correctly resolved. Files will no longer shuttle between courts.
To ensure swift resolution of administrative cases directly affecting citizens' daily lives, the requirement for a panel is relaxed; cases will be quickly decided by a single judge.
INHERITANCE PROTECTION FOR HEIRS
The system in partition (izale-i şuyu) lawsuits, which pits families against each other and leads to ancestral property being sold to outsiders below value through enforcement, has been completely overhauled.
The first auction for inherited houses, land, or fields will be conducted solely among the heirs. The sale will start at the current market value of the property. This grants family members the priority right to purchase the property.
If the heirs do not purchase the property, the second auction will be open to everyone without any additional financial burden on the parties.
Physical sales of assets belonging to individuals under guardianship will be conducted electronically via the UYAP e-Sale Portal to prevent malicious groups from sabotaging the auction.
NO SUSPENSION FOR TORTURE AND CRUELTY
Strong steps aligned with international standards regarding human rights and legal safeguards are being taken in criminal procedure. For defendants convicted of torture and cruelty crimes, a decision to suspend the announcement of the verdict (HAGB) can no longer be made. Their sentences cannot be postponed or concealed from records; the perception of impunity will be completely dismantled.
DIGITAL SHIELD FOR PERSONAL DATA
In criminal cases, how long seized computer data and molecular genetic analysis (DNA) results will be stored, how they will be destroyed, and citizens' requests to "delete my data" are now legally secured.
RIGHT TO DEFEND FOR FUGITIVE DEFENDANTS
A fugitive defendant against whom a security measure decision has been made in absentia, if they personally come to court, surrender, and declare they wish to defend themselves, may request a retrial from scratch (renewal of proceedings).
END OF INTEREST INJUSTICE IN COMPENSATION
A citizen who wins a case against public institutions cannot directly initiate enforcement proceedings. A written application must first be made to the relevant authority; if the institution does not pay within one month, the enforcement process will begin.
The uncertain debt lawsuit, causing significant confusion and loss of rights in practice, is removed from the statute. The rights provided by this lawsuit are transferred under the more predictable "Partial Lawsuit" framework.
The injustice of applying retroactive interest to future potential earnings in loss of support and incapacity lawsuits is ended. Legal interest will be dynamically calculated based on the Central Bank discount rate.
THE ERA OF ARBITRARY EXPERT WITNESSES ENDS, DOCUMENTS DIGITIZE
Measures are being taken to prevent judges from referring files to expert witnesses solely to prolong the process on clear issues they can resolve using their own legal knowledge.
Lawyers will be able to participate digitally in preliminary hearings from their locations without going to the courthouse, eliminating time and travel costs.
Official documents requested by courts from notaries will now be transferred directly to judicial authorities via digital channels at zero cost, without waiting for physical mail.
STRICT TRAINING FOR JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR ASSISTANTS
The pre-service academic training processes for judge and prosecutor assistants, who will later take the bench, are being updated to be much more comprehensive, high-quality, and responsive to citizens' expectations of justice.