Copyright · Turkey
Work with a copyright lawyer in Turkey who knows the courts
Turkish proceedings run in Turkish, on Turkish paper, before Turkish judges. We introduce you to a Bar-registered practitioner who handles rights disputes of the kind you are facing, so you are not translating a legal system on your own.
- Bar-registered practitioners only
- Free, confidential matching
- Clear view of deadlines and court fees
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Copyright disputes in Turkey, explained without jargon
If your photographs, software, music, text or designs are being used without your permission, or a licence you signed is being read in a way you did not expect, the first practical question is who can act for you in Turkey. Court files, hearings and written submissions are all in Turkish, and documents coming from abroad need certified translations, so the person handling your matter has to work inside that system every day. We are a matching service, not a law firm: we listen to your situation and connect you with a copyright lawyer in Turkey whose practice covers the type of dispute you have, whether that is licensing, infringement, ownership or commercial exploitation. The introduction costs nothing and you are under no obligation to instruct anyone. Below you will find how the Turkish framework actually operates, from bar admission to the time limits that shape a file.
The Turkish framework
How legal work is organised in Turkey
Turkey is a codified civil-law jurisdiction, and its private law was built on the reception of the Swiss codes in the 1920s. That means disputes are decided on statute, with the Court of Cassation’s rulings acting as a unifying guide to interpretation rather than as binding precedent. A few structural points shape every rights dispute.
Only Bar-registered practitioners may act for you
Membership of a local Bar Association (Baro) is compulsory to practise law in Turkey, and all Bars belong to the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Türkiye Barolar Birliği). Under the Attorneyship Law (Law No. 1136, Article 3), admission requires Turkish citizenship, a Turkish law degree or a recognised equivalent, a one-year internship in two stages, and good standing. The Bar then issues a licence (ruhname) and enters the lawyer in its register.
Everything happens in Turkish
Turkish is the official language of the State, and proceedings, filings and court documents are conducted and drafted in Turkish. Documents in a foreign language must come with a certified translation, and foreign public documents generally need an apostille, Turkey being a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. A party who does not speak Turkish is given an interpreter appointed by the court.
Representation is not always mandatory, but it is normal
In Turkish civil, commercial and administrative proceedings a party may in principle appear and litigate in person at first instance. Mandatory defence counsel is a feature of criminal cases carrying at least five years’ imprisonment and of certain vulnerable defendants. In commercial disputes, professional assistance from a Bar member is the norm and is always advisable before the Court of Cassation and the Council of State. Legal aid (adli yardım) is available.
Court fees and the minimum fee tariff
Under the Fees Law (Law No. 492), civil, commercial and administrative actions carry a fixed application fee plus a proportional judgment-and-decision fee of 68.31 per thousand of the amount in dispute; one quarter is paid on filing and the balance on judgment. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed but cannot fall below the annual minimum tariff published by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, which also sets what a losing party may be ordered to pay.
Mediation comes before some claims
Since 1 January 2019, commercial disputes concerning monetary claims and compensation must go through mediation before litigation, under Article 5A of the Commercial Code (Law No. 6102). A claim filed without a prior mediation attempt is dismissed on procedural grounds. Where a rights dispute is essentially about money owed under a licence or a supply contract, mediation is therefore the first step rather than an optional extra.
Statute, not precedent, decides the case
Because Turkish private law is codified, the Civil Code (Law No. 4721) and the Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098) supply the operative rules, and judges apply them to the facts. Court of Cassation decisions are followed in practice as a guide to consistent interpretation. For a client, this means the pleaded legal basis and the framing of the claim matter as much as the evidence itself.
All country-specific statements on this page are taken from official Turkish sources — the mevzuat.gov.tr legislation portal and the Union of Turkish Bar Associations — as consulted at the time of publication.
- Constitution of 1982 (Law No. 2709) – official language and court structure
- Attorneyship Law (Law No. 1136) – admission to the profession
- Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098) – limitation periods
- Code of Civil Procedure (Law No. 6100) – appeal periods
- Administrative Procedure Law (Law No. 2577) – annulment actions
- Fees Law (Law No. 492) – court fees
- Commercial Code (Law No. 6102) – mandatory mediation in commercial disputes
- Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Türkiye Barolar Birliği)
Common situations
What usually brings someone to this page
Three situations we are asked about most often by rights holders and licensees.
Your work is circulating without permission
You find your photographs, code or text reused on a Turkish website or marketplace, and you are unsure whether it is worth pursuing or who could act for you locally.
A licence or assignment is being read differently
The other side interprets a contract in a way that costs you revenue, and you need a clear view of your options before positions harden on both sides.
You are outside the Turkish system
You do not speak Turkish, you do not know how a file is drafted and filed, and you need someone who works inside those courts every day.
How we help
A short path from problem to practitioner
We match you with a lawyer who handles your kind of matter, and we explain the framework before you commit to anything.
Matched to the right practice area
You are introduced to a copyright lawyer in Turkey whose work covers licensing, infringement or ownership disputes rather than general practice.
Representation in Turkish
Your lawyer drafts and files in Turkish, arranges certified translations of foreign documents and appears before the courts on your behalf.
Costs understood before filing
You learn how the court fee is calculated and how the annual minimum fee tariff applies, so the budget is clear before anything is submitted.
One free introduction
We do not charge for matching, and you decide whether to instruct the practitioner you are put in touch with.
Also available
Clients also ask us about these jurisdictions
If your matter crosses a border, we can look for practitioners in the other countries involved as well.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Turkish-speaking lawyer for a rights dispute in Turkey?
Yes, in practice. Turkish is the language of the courts, filings must be drafted in Turkish, foreign-language documents need certified translations and foreign public documents generally require an apostille. A party who does not speak Turkish is given a court-appointed interpreter, but the file itself is built in Turkish by your representative.
Is Bar membership compulsory for a copyright lawyer in Turkey?
It is. Membership of a local Bar Association is compulsory to practise law, and every Bar belongs to the Union of Turkish Bar Associations. Admission under the Attorneyship Law (Law No. 1136) requires a Turkish law degree or a recognised equivalent, a two-stage internship and good standing; the Bar then issues the licence (ruhname).
Must I attempt mediation before suing over unpaid licence fees?
Where the dispute is a commercial one concerning monetary claims or compensation, mediation has been a mandatory precondition to litigation since 1 January 2019 under Article 5A of the Commercial Code. A claim filed without a prior mediation attempt is dismissed on procedural grounds, so the step needs to be planned at the outset.
How are court fees and legal fees calculated in Turkey?
Court fees under the Fees Law combine a fixed application fee with a proportional judgment-and-decision fee of 68.31 per thousand of the amount in dispute, one quarter payable on filing and the balance on judgment. Lawyers’ fees are agreed with the client but may not fall below the annual minimum tariff published by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, which also sets the sum a losing party may be ordered to pay.
Can a company based abroad pursue a claim in a Turkish court?
Foreign parties can bring and defend claims, and representation by a lawyer is not generally mandatory at first instance in civil and commercial matters, although it is the norm in commercial disputes. In practice the file is conducted in Turkish with certified translations, and legal aid (adli yardım) is available for those who qualify.
How long do I have to appeal a first-instance decision?
An appeal (istinaf) against a first-instance judgment must be lodged within two weeks of notification of that judgment. The period runs from notification rather than from the hearing, so the date on which the decision is served should be recorded as soon as it arrives.
Next step
Tell us what happened, and we will look for the right practitioner
Describe your situation in a few lines — what is being used, what contract is in dispute, or what decision you need to challenge. We will match you with a copyright lawyer in Turkey who handles matters of that kind, free of charge and with no obligation to instruct.