13th Judicial Package Will Alter Past Alimony Decisions

The 13th Judicial Package, prepared jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the AKP, introduces a time limit on subsistence alimony—and moreover, this limit will apply retroactively. Comprising approximately 30 articles and targeted for submission to the TBMM Presidency within October 2026, the package covers individuals currently receiving alimony under already-finalized court decisions.

According to the transitional provision, the calculation will work as follows: If the alimony period already paid exceeds the limit set out in the new regulation, one additional year of payment will be made and the obligation will terminate automatically. If one year or less remains until the limit, an additional one-year period will be granted; if more time remains, payments will continue until that period expires.

This is a rare retroactive application in Turkish legal history. Previously, there was no time limit on subsistence alimony; family courts could bind alimony indefinitely as long as circumstances remained unchanged. If the new regulation becomes law, the budgets of individuals who divorced ten years ago and have been receiving alimony will be directly affected.

The package also includes amendments concerning appeals procedures in divorce cases. Cumhuriyet reports that the final text of the package has not yet been obtained.