The Judicial Recess Has Begun!

What Is the Judicial Recess? Which Cases Continue to Be Heard During This Period?

In Türkiye, the suspension of hearings before civil courts between 20 July and 1 September each year is referred to as the “judicial recess.” During this period, courts generally do not hold new hearings, and proceedings in many types of cases are temporarily paused. However, certain cases and legal matters are excluded from the scope of the judicial recess and continue to be heard.

Which Cases and Matters Continue During the Judicial Recess?

Pursuant to Article 103 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the following cases and matters continue to be processed during the judicial recess:

• Requests for provisional legal remedies (e.g., preliminary injunctions, precautionary attachments, and applications for the preservation of evidence);

• Family law cases (e.g., alimony, paternity, custody, and guardianship disputes);

• Cases concerning the correction of civil registry records;

• Employment disputes arising from service (employment) contracts;

• On-site inspections (discoveries) ordered to be conducted during the recess;

• Applications regarding the loss of negotiable instruments or commercial ledgers;

• Cases and matters referred to courts pursuant to arbitration provisions;

• Bankruptcy, concordat (composition), and corporate restructuring proceedings;

• Non-contentious judicial matters and cases that are legally or judicially required to be heard urgently.

  
  

In addition, the following procedural actions also continue during the judicial recess:

• Filing of new lawsuits, counterclaims, and appeals or cassation petitions;

• Reinstatement of dismissed cases;

• Transfer of case files to other courts, regional courts of justice, or the Court of Cassation.

  
  

Attention to Procedural Deadlines

Because the judicial recess suspends many procedural steps in ongoing litigation, parties must carefully track the commencement and expiration dates of legal deadlines to prevent loss of rights. Moreover, some special laws provide different rules regarding judicial recess periods, so the relevant legislation must be reviewed for each specific case.

Conclusion

The judicial recess does not signify a complete halt to judicial activities. Certain cases and procedures continue to be heard and processed during this period. For this reason, seeking professional legal advice on whether your case is affected by the judicial recess is crucial to safeguarding your rights.

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