Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Monday submitted a new judicial reform package to Parliament, proposing a series of measures aimed at accelerating court proceedings, reducing judicial workload and expanding the use of digital technologies in the legal system.
The bill, commonly referred to as the “12th Judicial Package,” was prepared within the framework of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Fourth Judicial Reform Strategy Document and contains 30 articles designed to improve the efficiency of the judiciary.
Speaking at a news conference in Parliament, AK Party Deputy Chair Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu said the proposal seeks to ensure that trials are completed within a reasonable time and to further strengthen public confidence in the justice system.
“The effective exercise of the right to seek justice is among the strongest pillars of a strong state,” Akbaşoğlu said, emphasizing that judicial reforms have remained a priority for the government since 2002.
Among the key provisions, the package introduces a rule limiting the interval between court hearings to a maximum of three months in most cases. It also expands the use of audio and video communication technologies in judicial proceedings, allowing preliminary hearings to be conducted remotely.
The proposal includes measures intended to simplify administrative court procedures and prevent cases from being delayed because of jurisdictional disputes between courts. It also broadens the scope of disputes that can be resolved by a single judge in administrative courts, particularly in cases involving students and public officials.
Akbaşoğlu noted that the reform would also make it easier for citizens to collect receivables from public institutions by requiring a written application and bank account information to be submitted before enforcement proceedings are initiated.
The package introduces changes to inheritance-related property sales, requiring the first auction in cases involving inherited real estate to be conducted among heirs before the property can be offered more broadly.
Another provision seeks to limit the unnecessary use of expert witnesses by making referrals to experts in matters that can be resolved through judges’ and prosecutors’ legal expertise subject to disciplinary sanctions.
The bill also amends regulations governing searches and seizures of computers and digital records during criminal investigations. Under the proposal, prosecutors would be able to order searches of digital devices in urgent circumstances, subject to judicial approval within 24 hours.
Digital data obtained during investigations would be stored as judicial evidence and, unless otherwise required, destroyed 15 years after a decision not to prosecute or after a final court ruling. Individuals would also have the right to request the deletion of stored data if the purpose of retaining it no longer exists.
