Legal Bulletin
Turkey Legal News — 7 July 2026: Court Divisions, SGK Fees, Ads
Published 6 July 2026·11 min read
This week brought a dense legal agenda in Turkey. The Court of Cassation Grand General Assembly reorganised its chambers into four specialised fields, while SGK (Social Security Institution) raised hospital visit copayments by 92 to 246 percent from 1 July onwards. New secondary legislation published in the Official Gazette introduced restrictions on in-vehicle screens and significant transparency obligations for AI-generated advertising and influencer content. On the case-law front, the week produced landmark rulings on amendment limits in civil proceedings, the validity of older tax notices, and the absolute prohibition against hearings without mandatory defence counsel.
Legal Profession
Court of Cassation Reorganised Into Four Specialised Fields
The Court of Cassation Grand General Assembly established a new subject-matter division for 2026. Civil chambers are now grouped under four specialisations: Civil Law, Real Estate Law, Obligations and Commercial Law, and Labour and Social Security Law. Criminal chambers have been assigned based on the offence classifications in the Turkish Penal Code (article numbers).
The practical impact on legal practice is immediate: incorrect identification of the competent chamber can trigger procedural objections in cassation appeals. In hybrid disputes — cases spanning both labour and commercial law elements, for instance — correctly determining jurisdiction from the outset will be critical.
1,038 Candidates Pass Judicial Assistant Examination Interviews
The oral examination results for the judicial assistant recruitment competition were announced. A total of 850 candidates passed the interview for criminal courts (hâkim ve savcı yardımcılığı), 99 for the attorney-track criminal courts stream, and 50 for administrative courts. An additional 39 candidates passed supplementary interviews held following a question invalidation from the December 2024 sitting, bringing the overall figure to 1,038 successful candidates.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek used the occasion to address trainee lawyers, emphasising the importance of postgraduate study, learning a second foreign language, and developing expertise in a specific field. The consistent push toward specialisation in the Turkish legal profession is increasingly reflected in both examination policy and professional development expectations.
KVKK Issues Principle Decision on Unlawful Use of Accident Victim Data
The Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) published a principle decision targeting damage consulting companies, unlicensed intermediaries posing as lawyers, and unauthorised experts who obtain the personal data of road accident victims without consent.
The scheme operates as follows: vehicle plate numbers and national ID information are extracted from insurance company databases without authorisation and used to contact victims, who are then approached by individuals falsely presenting themselves as lawyers or assessors. The Authority established that these practices violate KVKK Article 12 (data security obligations) and held that insurance companies bear responsibility for the lawful use of personal data they share with business partners.
Practical note for practising lawyers: verifying the identity and authorisation of anyone who approaches a client's accident file is now a data-security obligation, not merely good practice.
Turkish Bar Association Protests Mass Detentions Ahead of NATO Summit
The Turkish Bar Association (TBB) issued a press statement challenging mass detentions ordered under Ankara Governorate decisions ahead of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, scheduled for 7–8 July 2026 in Ankara. The TBB voiced serious concerns about freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and procedural guarantees, calling for independent scrutiny of whether the detention practices comply with international human rights standards.
Ankara Bar Pushes for Free Firearms Permits for Lawyers
Ankara Bar No. 2 President Av. Gökhan Ağdemir met with Deputy Justice Minister Can Tuncay to raise two long-standing demands: a free firearms permit right for lawyers on security grounds, and stronger employment protections for public lawyers. The issue of firearms permits for lawyers has been on the bar associations' agenda for several years and is now being linked to ongoing preparatory work on the 12th Judicial Reform Package.
Legislation and Official Gazette
Law No. 7587: Electronic Notice Scope Redrawn After Constitutional Court Ruling
Law No. 7587 (Amending Various Laws) was published in the Official Gazette of 1 July 2026. Its most significant provision rewrites Tax Procedure Code (VUK) Article 107/A in line with a prior Constitutional Court ruling that had found the existing scope of mandatory e-notification to lack adequate statutory basis.
Previous position: The obligation to use the Ministry of Finance's electronic notification system extended to a broadly defined group of taxpayers without clear legislative authority. New rule: Mandatory e-notification applies exclusively to income taxpayers subject to actual-profit taxation on commercial, agricultural, or professional income. Who is affected: Taxpayers under simplified or lump-sum regimes are now explicitly excluded. Tax lawyers and financial advisers should review client portfolios to identify compliance gaps.
SGK Hospital Copayments Rise 92–246 Percent From 1 July
SGK's Health Practice Communiqué was amended to increase hospital visit copayments with effect from 1 July 2026.
New amounts:
- Secondary-level public hospitals: TRY 50
- Teaching and research hospitals; state university hospitals: TRY 90
- Foundation university hospitals and private hospitals: TRY 100
Compared with the previous rates, the increase reaches approximately 92 percent for secondary public hospitals and 246 percent for private and foundation university hospitals. All SGK insured persons and their dependants are affected; exemptions for children and chronic illness groups are set out separately in the amended communiqué.
Commercial Advertising Regulation: AI Characters, Dark Patterns, and Influencer Disclosure Now Regulated
The Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices Regulation was significantly updated, with changes taking effect on 1 August 2026.
Three core obligations:
- AI-generated digital characters in advertising: If an advertisement uses an AI-generated character, this must be explicitly disclosed to viewers.
- Ban on dark patterns: Interfaces deliberately designed to mislead consumers — hidden subscriptions, obstructed cancellation flows, or nudging mechanisms — are now prohibited.
- Influencer disclosure: Commercial collaborations must be clearly labelled. Profiling children using their personal data for targeted advertising is also banned.
Digital advertising agencies, brands using influencer marketing, and social media platforms must bring their practices into compliance by 1 August 2026.
Severance Pay Ceiling Set at TRY 73,729.87 for the Second Half of 2026
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance published a circular setting the severance pay ceiling at TRY 73,729.87 for the period 1 July 2026 – 31 December 2026.
This figure represents the maximum daily wage base applicable for each year of service in statutory severance calculations under Turkish labour law. Employment lawyers acting for both employers and employees should update calculations and review any pending severance commitments.
Ministry of Treasury and Finance Circular →
In-Vehicle TV Now Banned: Road Traffic Regulation Updated
The Road Traffic Regulation was amended to address screen-related distractions during driving:
- Drivers are now prohibited from watching television or video content while the vehicle is in motion.
- Wattage and frequency limits have been introduced for vehicle audio systems.
- The concepts of "display device" and "driver's field of vision" are defined in the regulation for the first time.
Beyond road safety, this change carries implications for traffic accident litigation. Evidence that a driver was using a screen at the time of a collision may be treated as an aggravating factor in liability assessments.
Online Contact Lens Sales Restricted to Prescription and Licensed Sites Only
The Medical Devices Sales, Advertising and Promotion Regulation was amended to restrict the online sale of contact lenses. Sales may now only be made through optician websites licensed by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK) and only with a valid prescription.
This is one of the most significant access restrictions applied to medical device e-commerce in recent years. Businesses selling through unlicensed channels face administrative sanctions; consumer complaints may be submitted to TİTCK.
Court Decisions
Court of Cassation GAJBC: New Claims Cannot Be Added to a Lawsuit Through Amendment
The Court of Cassation Grand Assembly for Unification of Conflicting Judgments (İBBGK) ruled, by majority, that a claim not included in the original statement of claim cannot be introduced into the proceedings through partial amendment (ıslah).
Background: There had been conflicting decisions on whether the amendment procedure could be used to introduce entirely new claims, with some chambers allowing it and others not. The ruling: Amendment is a procedural instrument for modifying or correcting existing claims only; introducing a new claim requires filing an additional lawsuit. Practical significance: All intended claims must be set out in the original statement of claim. Subsequently discovered gaps can no longer be remedied through amendment — a critical point at the pleadings stage.
Council of State VDDK: Notices Issued Under Old Template Remain Valid
The Council of State Tax Chambers Council (VDDK) resolved a split between the Ankara and Istanbul Regional Administrative Courts, holding that notices served using the older notice template appended to Tax Procedure Code General Communiqué (No. 485) comply with the procedure prescribed in VUK Article 102/5.
This decision removes uncertainty that had left parties wondering whether tax assessments served on the older form could be challenged on procedural grounds. Parties who previously succeeded in having assessments annulled solely for using the old template may need to reassess their litigation position.
Council of State 8th Chamber: Enforcement Notice Unlawful Before Fine Is Final
The Council of State 8th Chamber overturned, through a cassation in the public interest, the Izmir 2nd Administrative Court's rejection of a challenge to an enforcement notice issued on a TRY 1,506 traffic fine that had not yet become final.
Issuing enforcement notices before an administrative fine is final — i.e., before the objection period expires or a final court decision is reached — is a recurring error in Turkish administrative practice. The decision confirms that such enforcement notices are unlawful and opens the door to annulment proceedings for affected parties.
Court of Cassation 5th HC: Attorney's Fee Award Must Not Exceed the Minimum Fee Schedule
The Court of Cassation 5th Civil Chamber overturned an attorney's fee award through a cassation in the public interest, finding that a fee of TRY 15,594.20 awarded against a rejected claim of TRY 8,975.00 exceeded the Attorney's Minimum Fee Schedule (AAÜT).
The chamber confirmed that Turkish courts cannot award attorney's fees above the AAÜT ceiling and that correct calculation must be based on the actual value of the dismissed claim.
Mandatory Mediation in Eviction Claims Must Be Filed Within the Limitation Period
In eviction actions based on the landlord's personal need, the mandatory mediation application — which is a procedural prerequisite — must be submitted within the limitation period for bringing the action.
Court of Cassation 3rd Civil Chamber, E. 2025/1495, K. 2025/3048, 26 May 2025
Legal background: Eviction claims based on personal need fall within the scope of mandatory pre-litigation mediation under Turkish civil procedure law.
Practical significance: Filing the mediation application after the limitation period has expired may result in the claim being dismissed on procedural grounds. For lawyers handling residential eviction matters, the entire timeline — from notice to mediation application to filing — must be carefully mapped.
Hearing Without Mandatory Defence Counsel Is an Absolute Procedural Violation
Conducting a hearing without mandatory defence counsel constitutes an absolute procedural violation under Article 289/1-e of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The regional court of appeal may consequently quash the first-instance decision under Article 280/1-e without examining it on the merits.
Court of Cassation Criminal General Assembly, E. 2025/671, K. 2026/171, 11 March 2026
Legal background: Under CPC Article 150, certain cases — including those within the jurisdiction of serious crime courts, cases involving mental health concerns, and others — require the appointment of mandatory defence counsel. Proceeding without such counsel is an absolute bar to a valid hearing.
Practical significance: Criminal practitioners in appeal proceedings can now invoke this ruling to argue that every hearing conducted at first instance without mandatory counsel is a ground for quashing, without the court needing to address any other argument.
Educational Expenses Paid by a Parent Cannot Be Offset Against Child Support
A father's payment of a child's educational expenses is the fulfilment of a moral obligation and cannot be treated as payment made on account of child support.
Court of Cassation 2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2022/5396, K. 2022/6165, 22 June 2022
Legal background: Under Turkish family law, the obligation to pay child support and the non-custodial parent's voluntary educational expenditure are two legally distinct obligations.
Practical significance: Custodial parents may cite this ruling against the argument that school fees, tuition, or similar payments made by the other parent reduce or discharge outstanding child support arrears. Such expenditure may, however, be relevant in proceedings to adjust the level of support going forward.