Frequently Asked Questions

Once we receive your request, we call you to arrange a suitable time. We can meet at our office, by phone or by video. In the meeting, we listen to the facts, review your documents and explain your legal position and options in plain language.

Fees are set according to the nature and scope of the work and the effort it requires, and may not be lower than the minimum fee schedule published annually by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations. Fees and expected costs are clearly agreed in a written engagement agreement before any work begins.

In most cases, yes. With a power of attorney issued at a Turkish consulate or by a foreign notary with an apostille, we can handle many steps on your behalf. We hold meetings by video and receive your documents through secure channels.

Yes. Lawyers are bound to keep information entrusted to them as a professional secret. Personal data you submit through our forms is also stored encrypted and used only to assess your request.

It helps to bring all official documents served on you (with the envelope), as well as any contracts, correspondence and payment records. Each of our practice area pages includes a document list specific to that area. We can still meet even if not all documents are ready.

Under the Turkish Code of Obligations, the general limitation period is ten years. However, a five-year period applies to many claims, such as rent, interest and certain service-related receivables, and different periods apply to tort claims. Because the period depends on the type of claim and its due date, your specific situation needs to be reviewed.

In many lease disputes, applying to a mediator is a mandatory precondition before filing a lawsuit. If mediation does not lead to an agreement, you may proceed to court. Since which claims are subject to this rule depends on the nature of the dispute, an assessment before applying is recommended.

Unless the law requires a specific form, contracts can also be concluded orally. Some contracts, such as the sale of real estate, require an official form. The main difficulty with oral agreements is proof; witnesses, correspondence and payment records become important.

You can file an administrative objection against the refusal or bring an action for annulment before the administrative court. As a rule, the deadline for filing is 60 days from notification of the decision. Your legal status in Türkiye during this period must also be assessed, so it is advisable to seek legal support as soon as the decision is served.

A deportation order can be challenged before the administrative court within seven days of notification. Because this deadline is very short, it is essential to contact a lawyer as soon as the decision is served.

Many steps can be handled with a power of attorney issued at a Turkish consulate or by a foreign notary with an apostille. Some applications may require your personal attendance. We will determine together which steps can be completed remotely in your case.

A divorce judgment issued by a foreign court is not entered in the Turkish civil registry until it is recognized in Türkiye, so you may still appear as married there. The judgment can be recognized through a recognition or enforcement action before a Turkish court or, where the conditions are met, administratively through the civil registry office. These steps can usually be handled with a power of attorney, without you traveling to Türkiye.

For an uncontested divorce, the marriage must have lasted at least one year, the spouses must apply jointly or one must accept the other's petition, and the judge must hear both parties in person. The judge must also approve the settlement covering custody, alimony and division of property.

In custody matters, the court always focuses on the best interests of the child. Factors such as the child's age, educational and health needs, the parents' living conditions and the views of a sufficiently mature child are taken into account. A custody decision can be reviewed if circumstances change.

For claims under compulsory motor liability insurance, a written application with the required documents must be made to the insurer before filing a lawsuit or applying for arbitration. If the insurer does not respond within fifteen days, or rejects the claim in whole or in part, you can proceed to court or arbitration.

The Insurance Arbitration Commission resolves disputes with participating insurers through specialized arbitrators and generally reaches decisions faster than the courts. Which route is more suitable should be assessed based on the amount claimed, the evidence and the available appeal options.

As a rule, compensation claims arising from traffic accidents become time-barred two years after the damage and the liable party become known, and in any event ten years after the accident. If the incident also constitutes a crime, the criminal limitation period may apply. Acting as early as possible is recommended so that evidence is not lost.

Yes. A person taken into custody has the right to the assistance of defense counsel and to consult them at every stage of the investigation, including having a lawyer present during questioning. If someone close to you has been detained, it is important to contact a lawyer without delay.

Your statement may be used as important evidence later in the proceedings. It is therefore advisable to learn what the case is about beforehand, know your rights — including the right to remain silent — and attend the questioning together with your lawyer.

A detention order can be challenged within the period prescribed by law, and release can be requested at any stage of the investigation and trial. The request should show, with concrete reasons, that lighter measures such as judicial control would be sufficient.

In enforcement proceedings without judgment by general seizure, the deadline to object to the payment order is seven days from service. In proceedings based on negotiable instruments, the deadline to object to the debt and the signature is five days. As these are strict deadlines, you should act as soon as the order is served.

As a rule, salaries and wages may be seized at a rate of no less than one quarter; the enforcement office sets the rate taking into account the needs of the debtor and their family. Different rules apply to maintenance claims. Multiple seizures on the same salary are ranked in order.

A timely objection halts the proceedings. Depending on the documents available, the creditor may ask the enforcement court to remove the objection or bring an action for annulment of the objection before the general courts. Separate deadlines apply to each of these routes.