Türkiye's 12th Judicial Package: Key Changes Under Law No. 7589

What is the 12th Judicial Package and when did it take effect?

The 12th Judicial Package is the name given publicly to Law no. 7589. Amending thirteen separate statutes, it entered into force on 31 July 2026. It abolished the action for an unquantified claim, tied the statutory interest rate to the rediscount rate, and introduced new rules for auctions in partition proceedings and for intervals between hearings.

Its full title is the "Law Amending Certain Laws Concerning the Effective and Efficient Functioning of the Judiciary". It was passed on 16 July 2026 and published as issue 33326 in the Official Gazette of 31 July 2026.

Does the 12th Judicial Package contain an amnesty?

No. The package brings neither a general nor a special amnesty.

It contains no provision erasing sentences, releasing prisoners collectively or reducing sentences across the board. What is occasionally called an amnesty is the fixed-rate reduction added by the fourth paragraph to article 158 of the Turkish Penal Code.

That reduction covers only a specific group of conduct and affects the length of the sentence alone. It does not prevent the offence from arising or terminate an investigation, and therefore does not amount to an amnesty; its scope is set out in the seventh section.

The unquantified claim action abolished, limitation in partial claims changed

The most visible civil procedure change is the abolition of the action for an unquantified claim (belirsiz alacak davası). This route, used where a claimant could not state the exact amount when issuing proceedings, has been removed by Law no. 7589.

In its place a safeguard has been introduced for partial claims (kısmi dava): limitation is treated as interrupted on the date of issue for the whole of the claim, not merely the portion claimed. A claimant suing for part of a debt no longer risks the remainder becoming time-barred.

Subject	Before / after Law no. 7589
Claim of uncertain amount	Unquantified claim action available / route abolished
Limitation in a partial claim	Interrupted only for the sum claimed / interrupted for the whole claim
Need to amend pleadings	Amendment required to increase the sum / pressure eased as the limitation risk falls away

It is felt most in employment, compensation and commercial debt files. The mediation requirement in commercial money claims is covered in our article on commercial debt claims and mediation.

Statutory interest now follows the rediscount rate

The statutory interest rate is no longer a fixed percentage; it is tied to the rediscount rate set by the Central Bank. Under the new rule statutory interest is applied at 80% of that rediscount rate.

The rediscount rate for 2026 is 38.75%, which produces a statutory interest rate of 31% for the year. The rate previously stood at 24%.

Element	Position
Former statutory rate	24% (fixed)
New method	80% of the rediscount rate
2026 rediscount rate	38.75%
2026 statutory interest	31%

The package also revisits the calculation of damages for loss of earning capacity and loss of support: the method, the point from which interest runs and the interval over which it applies have been redefined.

In addition, advance payments made towards performance are now set off against the total claim proportionally. The proportional set-off rule is intended to reduce argument about which head of loss an advance payment should be deducted from. Practice will settle as expert reports are prepared on this basis.

Hearing intervals, expert evidence and shorter proceedings

Two rules bear directly on the length of proceedings. In actions subject to the written procedure, the interval between two hearings may as a rule be no longer than three months, save in exceptional circumstances.

The second rule concerns expert evidence. Judges and public prosecutors who refer to an expert on matters capable of resolution through legal knowledge alone may be given a warning penalty. The aim is to prevent legal characterisation being delegated to an expert.

Together the two rules aim to reduce the time files spend waiting in the hearing list. In districts with a heavy caseload, such as Antalya, the effect should be more noticeable. Expert examination continues for calculation, technical inspection and valuation.

New rules on enforcement and partition of co-owned property

One of the most discussed parts concerns auctions held to dissolve co-ownership through sale. Where property has passed to all owners by inheritance and no third party holds title, only the heirs who are owners may take part in the first auction, held at 100% of the appraised value.

The provision is intended to limit, at the first stage, the passing of inherited property outside the family. For the general framework in property disputes, see our page on real estate and tenancy law.

Other headings concern the auction itself. Shareholders must now also lodge security. A buyer who bids highest but fails to pay within the period forfeits that security, which is applied first against the costs of sale.

A person who causes the auction to be annulled by failing to pay is additionally subject to an administrative fine of 5% of the sum bid. Sales of movable and immovable property belonging to persons under guardianship are to be conducted through the UYAP e-auction portal.

Funding for a bid therefore needs to be planned in advance. Where a sale has been ordered but the auction stage has not been reached, application of the new rules is assessed according to the stage the file has reached.

Headings on the criminal and administrative side

The criminal side is limited. Under the fourth paragraph added to article 158 of the Turkish Penal Code, where participation in the offences under articles 157 and 158 is confined to supplying another person with the information or means enabling use of a payment instrument such as a bank or credit card, or of an account held with a bank, intermediary institution, payment service provider or crypto-asset service provider, for the purpose of obtaining an unlawful benefit for oneself or another, the sentence to be imposed is reduced by half. The provision entered into force on 31 July 2026.

Deferral of the announcement of the verdict may no longer be ordered for offences of torture and ill-treatment, nor for offences committed by a public official in the course of duty that may amount to ill-treatment under article 17 of the Constitution.

Where a security measure is ordered against an absconding defendant, the defendant and defence counsel may request a retrial so that the right of defence can be exercised.

On appeals, decisions given afresh on the merits after an appeal has been allowed may be taken to the Court of Cassation where the sum or value exceeds the first-instance threshold. In administrative proceedings, the categories decided by a single judge have been expanded.

Frequently asked questions

When did the 12th Judicial Package enter into force?

Law no. 7589 was passed by the Grand National Assembly on 16 July 2026 and entered into force on publication in the Official Gazette of 31 July 2026, issue 33326.

Does the package contain an amnesty?

No. The package contains neither a general nor a special amnesty. There is no provision erasing sentences, releasing prisoners collectively or reducing sentences across the board. The paragraph added to article 158 of the Turkish Penal Code introduces only a fixed-rate reduction for a limited group of conduct.

Has the unquantified claim action been abolished?

Yes. Law no. 7589 abolished the action for an unquantified claim. In its place, where a partial claim is issued, limitation is treated as interrupted on the date of issue for the whole of the claim.

What is the statutory interest rate for 2026?

Statutory interest is no longer a fixed percentage. It is set at 80% of the rediscount rate determined by the Central Bank. As the rediscount rate for 2026 is 38.75%, the statutory interest rate applied is 31%.

Who may take part in an auction to dissolve co-ownership?

Where the property has passed to all owners by inheritance and no third party outside the heirs holds title, only the heirs who are owners may take part in the first auction, held at 100% of the appraised value.

How long may the interval between two hearings be?

In actions subject to the written procedure, the interval between two hearings may as a rule be no longer than three months, save in exceptional circumstances.

The rules may also arise in files already pending. Which provisions govern an existing file is assessed by looking at the date proceedings were issued together with the stage reached. For files heard in Antalya, application is shaped by the relevant court at the Antalya Courthouse.

For the general framework in disputes arising in Konyaaltı and the surrounding area, see the information on our Konyaaltı lawyer page. To discuss how these changes bear on a particular file, the office can be reached through the contact page.

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For further detail on the matters discussed here, see our Legislation and Current Developments page.

The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult a lawyer about your own situation.