12th Judicial Package

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The 12th Judicial Package: Speeding Up Judicial Processes and Strengthening Procedural Economy

The 12th Judicial Package is a 30-article regulation aimed at accelerating judicial processes and strengthening procedural economy. It does not include a general amnesty or comprehensive execution (sentencing) arrangements.

General Information About the Package

Submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) by the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), the package consists of 30 articles in total. It aims to ensure faster and more efficient trials, facilitate citizens' access to justice, and increase legal certainty. There is no general amnesty or comprehensive reduction in sentences within the scope of this package; the core focus is purely on the efficiency of judicial processes.

Prominent Regulations

• Hearing Durations: In written trial procedures, the time between hearings will be a maximum of 3 months. In exceptional cases, the judge may extend this period by stating their justification.

• E-Hearings: Participation in preliminary examination hearings via audio and video transmission (remote attendance) will be enabled.

• Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) Reversal Authority: First-instance court decisions can no longer be reversed solely on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction or venue, making the appeal process more predictable.

• Dissolution of Partnership and Inheritance: The first auction of real estate transferred through inheritance will be held exclusively among the co-inheritors and will start at 100% of the property's estimated market value.

• Enforcement Against the Administration: For monetary claims awarded against the administration, instead of direct enforcement proceedings, a written application and notification of an IBAN/account number will now be mandatory first.

• Administrative Judiciary: The scope of cases that can be resolved by a single judge is being expanded; annulment and full remedy actions not exceeding 486,000 TL will be swiftly decided by a single judge.

• Council of Forensic Medicine (Adli Tıp Kurumu): Appointment conditions for the chairpersons and members of the specialization chambers are being clarified, and their terms of office are limited to 4 years.

• Juveniles Driven to Crime: Sentences for children aged 15-18 who commit serious crimes will be increased; they will face the same sentencing rates as adults.

• Divorce Lawsuits: A two-stage model is being introduced for contested divorces; the first stage will resolve the divorce and child custody, while the second stage will decide on alimony and the division of matrimonial property.

• Lawyer Rights and Title Deed Transactions: It will become mandatory to have a lawyer present for title deed transactions valued at 30 million TL and above.

• Unspecified Debt Lawsuits (Belirsiz Alacak Davası): This type of lawsuit is being abolished, ensuring that the remaining part of a claim must be requested through a partial lawsuit system.

• Legal Interest Rate: The legal interest rate is being reorganized to be applied at 80% of the rediscount interest rate.

• Properties Under Guardianship: The sale of movable and immovable properties belonging to individuals under guardianship will be carried out through the UYAP-integrated electronic sales portal.

• Genetic and Computer Data: The procedures for storing and deleting molecular genetic examinations and computer data are being clearly defined.

Important Notes

• Structural regulations are planned for IBAN victims (individuals facing legal issues due to bank account usage disputes), but this is strictly not an amnesty.

• The package focuses heavily on accelerating judicial processes, ensuring procedural economy, and increasing digitalization.

• The 12th Judicial Package is currently being debated in the TBMM Justice Commission, with the goal of being voted on in the General Assembly in July 2026 before the judicial recess.