What is a legal glossary?

A legal glossary is a guide containing explanations of common legal terms used in the Turkish legal system. Terms like adli yardım, borçlu, dava ehliyeti are listed alphabetically.

Which legal terms are included in the glossary?

The glossary includes 45+ terms such as arabuluculuk, bilirkişi, cezai ehliyet, delil, edim, feragat, haciz, ihtiyati tedbir, istinaf, kabul, karar düzeltme, kesinleşme, kusur, miras, müdahil, nafaka, ödeme emri, protesto, rücu, savunma, şikayet, tahliye, tazminat, tebligat, temyiz, tutuklama, vasiyet, vekalet, yargılama, zamanaşımı.

What sources are the legal term explanations based on?

Term explanations are based on Turkish Civil Code, Turkish Code of Obligations, Code of Civil Procedure, Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law and other official legislation.

Can I search for terms in the glossary?

Yes, you can use the search box at the top of the page to search for specific legal terms. You can also click on letter buttons to jump to alphabetical groups.

Legal Glossary

Common Legal Terms and Their Explanations

A

Adli Yardım (Legal Aid): Exemption from court fees for persons with insufficient financial means. Regulated under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Anayasa (Constitution): The supreme legal rule regulating the fundamental structure of the state and citizens' fundamental rights. Governed by the 1982 Constitution.
Arabuluculuk (Mediation): Resolution of disputes between parties with the help of a neutral third party. Governed by Law No. 6100 on Mediation.

B

Bilirkişi (Expert Witness): Expert who provides opinion to the court on technical matters. Appointed under the Code of Civil Procedure.
Borçlu (Debtor): Party obligated to fulfill a performance. Regulated in the Turkish Code of Obligations.

C

Ceza (Penalty): Sanction imposed for commission of a crime. Types determined in the Turkish Penal Code.
Cezai Ehliyet (Criminal Capacity): A person's capacity to bear criminal responsibility. Determined under the Turkish Penal Code.

D

Dava Ehliyeti (Litigation Capacity): A person's ability to sue and be sued in their own name. Governed by the Civil Code.
Delil (Evidence): Proof that establishes the truth or falsity of a claim. Regulated in the Code of Civil Procedure.

E

Edim (Performance): Conduct that the debtor is obligated to perform towards the creditor. Defined in the Code of Obligations.

F

Feragat (Waiver): Voluntary relinquishment of a right. Regulated in the Civil Code and Code of Obligations.

H

Haciz (Seizure): Attachment of debtor's property and rights. Carried out under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law.
Hukuki İşlem (Legal Transaction): Declaration of intent aimed at producing legal consequences. Basic principles in the Civil Code.

İ

İcra (Enforcement): Forced execution of court decisions or official documents. Governed by the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law.
İflas (Bankruptcy): Situation where debtor cannot pay debts due to insufficient assets. Governed by the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law.
İhtiyati Tedbir (Interim Measure): Temporary protective measure until the case is concluded. Regulated in the Code of Civil Procedure.
İş Sözleşmesi (Employment Contract): Contract regulating the working relationship between employee and employer. Governed by the Labor Law.
İstinaf (Appeal): Application to the regional court of justice against first instance court decision. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.

K

Kabul (Acceptance): Affirmative response to a declaration of intent; acceptance of claims in lawsuit. Regulated in the Code of Obligations.
Karar Düzeltme (Correction of Judgment): Objection to the judgment given following cassation examination. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.
Kesinleşme (Finalization): A decision becoming final and no longer subject to objection. Determined in the Code of Civil Procedure.
Kusur (Fault): Element that constitutes liability of person acting unlawfully. Defined in the Code of Obligations.

M

Miras (Inheritance): Transfer of deceased person's estate to legal or appointed heirs. Governed by the Civil Code.
Müdahil (Intervener): Third party joining the lawsuit due to their interest, not being a party. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.
Mülkiyet Hakkı (Property Right): Person's complete and exclusive authority over property. Governed by the Civil Code.

N

Nafaka (Alimony/Maintenance): Regular payment made under legal maintenance obligation. Governed by the Civil Code.

Ö

Ödeme Emri (Payment Order): Official notification sent to debtor to make payment. Governed by the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law.

R

Rücu (Recourse): Person who paid a debt seeking recovery from the actual debtor. Regulated in the Code of Obligations.

S

Savunma (Defense): Statements made by defendant against plaintiff's claims. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.
Sözleşme (Contract): Binding by mutual declarations of intent of two or more parties. General provisions in the Code of Obligations.

Ş

Şikayet (Complaint): Application to competent authorities regarding commission of a crime. Governed by the Criminal Procedure Code.

T

Tahliye (Eviction/Release): Vacating rented premises; release of detainee or convict. Governed by the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law.
Tazminat (Compensation): Amount paid to compensate the injured party's damages. Regulated in the Code of Obligations.
Tebligat (Service of Process): Proper delivery of official documents to the addressee. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.
Temyiz (Cassation): Application to Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) against regional court decision. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.
Ticaret Sicili (Commercial Registry): Official registry where merchants and commercial companies are recorded. Governed by the Commercial Code.
Tutuklama (Detention): Measure of holding suspect or defendant in custody. Governed by the Criminal Procedure Code.

V

Vasiyet (Will/Testament): Declaration of intent regarding distribution of estate after death. Governed by the Civil Code.
Vekalet (Power of Attorney): Authority to perform legal transactions on behalf of another person. Governed by the Civil Code.
Vergi (Tax): Compulsory contribution paid by citizens for state revenues. Governed by Tax Laws.

Y

Yargıç (Judge): Authorized person who resolves disputes and renders decisions. Governed by the Law on Judges and Prosecutors.
Yargılama (Trial/Litigation): Process of resolving disputes before the court. Governed by the Code of Civil Procedure.

Z

Zamanaşımı (Statute of Limitations): Right becoming unenforceable after passage of specified time. Regulated in the Civil Code and Code of Obligations.
Zorunlu Avukatlık (Mandatory Representation): Requirement to appoint an attorney in certain cases. Governed by the Criminal Procedure Code.

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