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Articles

40 informative articles across 8 legal practice areas. Use the filter to find your topic.

Protection of Personality Rights

Personality rights protect values inseparably linked to a person — name, honour, private life, and bodily integrity. Violations may attract civil and criminal consequences.

Attacks on honour and reputation may give rise to a claim for non-pecuniary damages
Online violations may be addressed by a content-removal or access-blocking order
Privacy breaches open both civil and criminal avenues
An interim injunction may be sought to stop ongoing harmful publication
Documentation and witness support are decisive in personality-right disputes

Time limits apply; obtaining legal advice before the limitation period expires is strongly recommended.

Contract Types and Binding Force

Turkish law grants broad contractual freedom, but every binding agreement must meet specific requirements set out in the Code of Obligations.

Consent, legal capacity, and legality are the founding elements of a valid contract
Where a written form is required, oral agreements become contentious
Mistake, fraud, or duress may render a contract voidable
Gaps in a contract are filled by statute and the principle of good faith
Penalty clauses may be reduced by the court if found excessive

Read every clause before signing, and seek legal advice on any term that is unclear or unusual.

Tort Liability and Compensation

Where an unlawful act causes harm to another, tortious liability arises. Both pecuniary and non-pecuniary compensation may be claimed.

The four elements are: fault, unlawfulness, damage, and causal link
Strict liability applies to hazardous activities — no fault need be proven
Pecuniary loss covers actual damage and loss of profit
Non-pecuniary damages are assessed at the court's discretion
The general limitation is two years from knowledge, ten years in all events

Preserve records, photographs, and witness statements from the moment of the incident — they will be essential later.

Limitation Periods

Missing the deadline to bring a claim can permanently bar access to a legal remedy. Each type of dispute has its own limitation rules.

General contractual limitation: ten years; between merchants: five years
Tort claims: two years from knowledge of the harm
Rent arrears: five years
The limitation defence must be raised at the outset of proceedings
In some cases limitation is suspended or interrupted — these details matter greatly

An error in calculating the limitation period can cause irreversible loss of rights; early legal advice is essential.

Custody and Guardianship

Custody (velayet) protects minor children; guardianship (vesayet) protects individuals under legal incapacity. Both are subject to court supervision.

Custody may be awarded to one parent or jointly to both
The court's sole criterion is the best interests of the child
Custody orders can be varied when circumstances change
Acts on behalf of a ward require the approval of the guardianship authority
Incapacity orders restrict legal capacity on grounds specified by law

Because custody and guardianship decisions directly affect quality of life, every step should be carefully documented.

These articles are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Specific disputes should always be evaluated on the facts of the individual file.