Divorce is one of the hardest legal and emotional turning points in a person's life. This page explains how divorce cases are filed and handled in Yalova, from custody and maintenance to property division.

Divorce is one of the most difficult psychological and legal turning points a person can face. It is not simply the end of a marriage. It is the process in which decisions that will directly shape your future are made: custody of the children, division of property, maintenance and compensation.

İLME HUKUK BÜROSU practices family law in Yalova and the surrounding districts (Çınarcık, Altınova, Çiftlikköy, Armutlu, Termal). Guided by the current provisions of the Turkish Civil Code (TMK), the office is committed to protecting its clients' rights and pursuing a fair outcome for them.

Our Family Law Services

We stand by you at every stage of the divorce process.

Uncontested Divorce

Managing a fast and smooth divorce process

Drafting the divorce agreement (protocol)
Resolution in a single hearing
Determining maintenance

Contested Divorce

Representation in difficult divorce cases

Establishing fault
Gathering evidence
Following hearings

Custody Cases

Advocating for custody of your child

Change of custody
Personal contact (visitation)
Children's rights

Maintenance Cases

Pursuing child support and post-divorce alimony

Increase of maintenance
Collection of maintenance
Enforcement proceedings

Division of Property

Participation claims over acquired property

Liquidation of the matrimonial property regime
Contribution share
Share in increased value

Compensation Claims

Claims for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages

Degree of fault
Loss of financial interests
Personality rights

How Is a Divorce Case Filed in Yalova?

Once you have decided to file for divorce, knowing how the process will unfold will ease your concerns. For cases heard at the Yalova Courthouse, the competent court is the Yalova Family Court. In districts that have no Family Court, the Civil Court of First Instance hears these cases in the capacity of a Family Court.

The case begins with a petition prepared by a competent divorce lawyer, setting out the legal grounds and the evidence clearly. Under the Turkish Civil Code (TMK), the grounds for divorce are divided into general and special grounds. Deciding which ground your case will rest on is the most critical strategic decision, and it shapes the fate of the case.

Jurisdiction and Competent Court

If you reside in Yalova, or if you and your spouse have lived together within the borders of Yalova for the last six months, you must file your divorce case at the Yalova Family Court. To avoid an objection to jurisdiction and to prevent delays, your residence situation should be assessed together with your lawyer.

The Yalova Family Court and How Proceedings Work

The Yalova Family Courts, which sit at the Yalova Courthouse, hear divorce cases as well as matters of custody, maintenance, parentage, adoption and protection orders (restraining orders).

How Does the Case Proceed?

Exchange of petitions: The claimant files the petition and the respondent answers. The stage is completed with a reply to the answer and a second answer. It takes roughly three to four months.
Preliminary hearing: The judge invites the parties to settle. If there is no settlement, the judge identifies the disputed issues and the case moves to the examination stage.
Examination (evidence and witnesses): Witnesses are heard, reports from child psychologists are obtained, financial circumstances are investigated, and bank and title deed records are examined. This is the longest stage.
Oral argument and judgment: Once all evidence has been collected, the judge announces the decision in the presence of the parties.
Reasoned judgment and appeal: The written reasoning of the judgment is served on the parties. A party that is not satisfied may apply to the Bursa Regional Court of Appeal (BAM / istinaf).

Types of Divorce Cases

In the Turkish legal system, divorce cases fall under two main headings. The procedures, timelines and outcomes of the two types are entirely different.

1. Uncontested Divorce in Yalova

An uncontested divorce is the fastest route to divorce. The parties agree fully both on ending the marriage and on its consequences (children, property, money).

Conditions for an Uncontested Divorce:

The marriage must have lasted at least one year
The spouses must personally declare their intention to divorce before the court
The "uncontested divorce protocol" prepared by the parties must be approved by the judge

As uncontested divorce lawyers in Yalova, we support our clients at the most critical point of the process: drafting the protocol. A mistake in the protocol can lead to losses of rights that cannot be remedied later. Depending on the caseload of the Yalova Family Court, an uncontested divorce prepared with professional support is usually concluded in a single hearing, within one to three months.

2. Contested Divorce in Yalova

If the spouses disagree on the divorce itself, on custody, on maintenance or on compensation, the case is heard as "contested". Contested divorce cases are longer and more complex. Allegations must be proven, witnesses are heard and evidence is gathered.

Grounds for a Contested Divorce:

Adultery: A spouse acting contrary to the duty of fidelity
Attempt on life, severe ill-treatment or degrading conduct: Physical or psychological violence
Committing a crime and leading a dishonorable life: A spouse committing a disgraceful offense
Desertion: A spouse leaving the shared home without a justified reason
Mental illness: A medically documented condition that makes continuing the marriage unbearable
Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage: The most frequently invoked general ground for divorce

Division and Liquidation of Property in Divorce

The most technical and complex part of a divorce is the division of property. For couples who married after 2002, the statutory property regime is the "participation in acquired property" regime. Under this regime, assets acquired during the marriage (excluding inheritances and gifts) are divided in half upon divorce.

Correctly valuing real estate and business assets in Yalova plays a critical role in the case for liquidation of the property regime. This case is usually heard after the divorce judgment becomes final. Requesting it together with the divorce case, so that it is held pending the outcome, can also be a strategic choice.

Assets Subject to Division:

Salary and other earnings obtained in return for work
Payments made by social security institutions
Severance pay
Income from personal property (for example, rent from an inherited house)

Custody in Divorce: The Best Interests of the Child

The most sensitive issue for the court in a divorce case is custody of the children. Rather than the wishes of the mother or father, the judge is guided by the principle of "the best interests of the child". The child's age, education, psychological state and relationship with each parent determine who is granted custody.

When deciding on custody, the Yalova Family Courts usually request a social investigation report from child psychologists and social workers. Working with a divorce lawyer during this process helps you prepare properly for the social investigation, so that the future you will build with your child is secured.

Factors Considered in Custody Decisions:

The child's age (whether the child is at an age that requires the mother's care)
The parents' financial and housing conditions
The environment and school routine the child is used to
The parents' past attitudes and conduct (violence, neglect and the like)

Types of Maintenance and Your Compensation Rights

Divorce changes the financial balance between the parties. The legislature created the institution of maintenance to protect the children and the party who would fall into poverty because of the divorce.

Types of Maintenance

Interim Maintenance

Awarded during the divorce case to the financially weaker spouse and to the children. Fault is not examined.

Child Support

The contribution of the spouse who is not granted custody to the children's care and education expenses. It continues until the child turns 18.

Post-Divorce Alimony

Maintenance requested by the party who would fall into poverty because of the divorce, provided that party's fault is not the greater one.

Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Compensation

The party at fault in the divorce may be required to pay compensation to the party who is not at fault or is less at fault:

Pecuniary compensation: Claimed for the loss of existing or expected financial interests, such as inheritance rights or coverage under the spouse's insurance.
Non-pecuniary compensation: Money claimed by the spouse whose personality rights were harmed by the events that led to the divorce. Adultery, violence and insults are grounds for compensation.

Why Work With a Divorce Lawyer in Yalova?

Divorce cases are full of technical detail. Cases filed on the basis of petition templates found online or hearsay are frequently dismissed for procedural errors or result in the loss of rights.

What sets İLME HUKUK BÜROSU's service in Yalova apart:

Strategic Planning

Every marriage and every divorce is unique. We draw up a roadmap tailored to your story.

Gathering Evidence

We present WhatsApp records, call detail records (HTS), social media posts and witness statements as effectively as possible.

Negotiation

Where possible, we negotiate the ground for an uncontested divorce to spare you years of litigation.

Confidentiality and Privacy

We hold the privacy of your family in the highest respect and conduct the entire process in strict confidence.

Family Law Tools and Guides

Calculators and detailed guides:

Maintenance Increase Calculator (in Turkish): increase based on the consumer price index
Mortgaged Home in Divorce (in Turkish): liquidation upon divorce
Divorce Protocol (in Turkish): guide to drafting the protocol
Family Law Guide (in Turkish): comprehensive content hub

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a contested divorce case take in Yalova?

It depends on the caseload of the Yalova Family Court and the scope of the file, but contested divorce cases take on average 1.5 to 2 years at the trial court. The regional appeal and Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) stages can extend this period. The number of witnesses and the speed at which evidence is collected directly affect the duration.

How many days does an uncontested divorce case take?

Uncontested divorce cases are the fastest type of case to conclude. In Yalova, depending on the parties' full agreement on the divorce protocol and the court's caseload, a hearing date may be set between one week and one month after filing, and the divorce judgment is usually given in a single hearing.

Is it mandatory to hire a lawyer in a divorce case?

Turkish law does not require you to hire a lawyer, but divorce cases are complex in terms of procedural law. To avoid missing limitation periods, to present evidence correctly and to avoid losing rights, working with a divorce lawyer in Yalova is strongly advisable.

Can a spouse who committed adultery receive maintenance?

According to the case law of the Court of Cassation (Yargıtay), a spouse who breached the duty of fidelity (committed adultery) is considered "fully at fault" or "gravely at fault" and therefore cannot receive post-divorce alimony. However, child support for the children of the marriage can be claimed regardless of fault.

Who is granted custody of the child?

The basic criterion in a custody decision is "the best interests of the child". Young children (ages 0 to 7) are generally considered to need the mother's care. However, if the mother endangers the child's safety, custody may be granted to the father. For children older than 7, the opinion of a child psychologist and the child's own preference also gain importance.

I filed for divorce. What happens if I reconcile with my spouse?

If you reconcile with your spouse while the case is pending, you can withdraw the claim. When the claim is withdrawn, the case is dismissed. Keep in mind, however, that a new case cannot be filed based on the same events you withdrew from (except for new events).

How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Yalova?

Divorce lawyers' fees vary according to the type of case (uncontested or contested), its complexity and the scope of the work involved. The fee is agreed freely between the lawyer and the client, taking as a basis the advisory minimum fee tariff of the Yalova Bar Association and the Minimum Attorney Fee Tariff of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB).

My spouse does not want a divorce. Can I still get divorced?

Yes, you can. Your spouse's refusal to divorce does not mean the case will be dismissed. What matters is proving to the court, with evidence, your grounds for divorce (violence, insults, incompatibility and so on) and that the marriage has irretrievably broken down.

Who owns the gold given at the wedding?

The case law on this point changed in 2026. The 2nd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) abandoned its earlier view that "whatever is given at the wedding, and by whomever, belongs entirely to the woman" (2nd Civil Chamber, Case No. 2025/10276, Decision No. 2026/5181, 6 May 2026). The new order of priority is as follows: (1) if there is an agreement between the parties, that agreement applies; (2) if there is no agreement, local custom and usage applies where it is alleged and proven; (3) failing both, an item of economic value that was pinned on or given to someone belongs, as a rule, to the person it was given to. Exception: an item of jewelry specific to the opposite sex (such as a bracelet or a necklace) is deemed to have been given to that sex; where there is a dispute over an item that could be considered specific to both sexes, a court expert examination is carried out. In the decision cited, six quarter gold coins pinned on the groom were held to belong to the man.

Can phone records be used as evidence in a divorce case?

Lawfully obtained phone records, text messages and WhatsApp conversations can be used as evidence in a divorce case. However, data obtained through spyware or recorded unlawfully is not accepted as evidence and may constitute a criminal offense.

How do I obtain a restraining order?

If you are experiencing physical or psychological violence from your spouse, you can apply to the nearest police station, the public prosecutor's office or the Family Court and request a protection and restraining order under Law No. 6284. Such an order is usually issued for a period of one to six months.

How is property divided in a divorce?

For marriages concluded after 2002, the statutory property regime is the "participation in acquired property" regime. Under this regime, assets acquired for consideration during the marriage (a house, a car, savings) are divided in half upon divorce. Inherited assets are considered personal property and are not included in the division.

You Are Not Alone in the Divorce Process

We take the legal burden off your shoulders during this difficult time and stand beside you so that you can look to the future with confidence. Seek professional support to avoid losing your rights.

Related Legal Resources

Maintenance Calculator (in Turkish): the criteria that affect the amount of interim maintenance, child support and post-divorce alimony
Maintenance Increase Calculator (in Turkish): increase rate and accumulated difference under the consumer and producer price indices
Property Division Calculator (in Turkish): item-by-item liquidation of the participation claim over acquired property
Maintenance Law: Latest Position 2026 (in Turkish): the Constitutional Court (AYM) annulment on indefinite maintenance, what changed and what did not
Division of Property in Divorce (in Turkish): the participation in acquired property regime and the rules of division
Contested Divorce Case (in Turkish): the court process, evidence and points to watch

Divorce Lawyer in Yalova: Legal Support in Family Law