Divorce Proceedings: Process, Documents and Initial Decisions

First Identify the Issues in Dispute

Agreement that you want a divorce does not mean agreement on every consequence. The child's residence, contact, maintenance, compensation and property procedures raise separate questions. In the first consultation, we distinguish these topics and identify decisions still to be made.

In the general divorce assessment under Article 166 TMK, specific events affecting the marital union and the parties' conduct matter. Filing an action alone does not establish that divorce will be granted. Requirements for the agreed route and events and evidence for contested proceedings are examined separately.

Describe Events Chronologically

Compressing a long relationship into a single accusation makes the file harder to understand. Gather what happened, when, who knows about it and which documents exist in a short timeline. The other party's account and earlier statements are also included in the review.

The question answered by correspondence, payment, health or official application records should be explained. Alongside the document's content, we assess how it was obtained, missing parts and consistency with other records. You do not need to send all private correspondence in your first message.

Daily Needs Continue during Proceedings

Accommodation, subsistence, children's care and management of property may not be able to wait until the case ends. Article 169 TMK provides for necessary interim measures during proceedings. Identifying needs and supporting records at the outset matters.

Monthly expenses, children's school and health arrangements, housing and current payments therefore form part of file preparation. We distinguish lasting claims from temporary needs and explain which documents assist which assessment.

What You Can Prepare before Enquiring

A short summary and known critical dates suffice for the first enquiry. After assessing suitability, we identify which of the following documents your file requires.

• Brief information on the marriage date, children and where the spouses live.
• A chronology of events and list of available documents.
• Existing records of income, regular expenses, housing and children's needs.
• Any draft settlement, petition, judgment and service documents.
• Country, case and document information for any foreign proceedings or judgment.

What Becomes Clear after the Review?

For the questions agreed, we assess available legal routes, documentation gaps and priority decision points in writing. We distinguish divorce, matrimonial property and a foreign judgment's effects in Türkiye. At the consultation, we discuss remaining questions and next steps.

It is useful to select one priority before review: if you have not filed, state which claims and documents you need to prepare; if proceedings have been brought against you, how existing allegations should be answered through organised evidence; if proceedings continue, which unresolved issue needs explanation. Not every question in a file must be answered simultaneously. We determine the work's boundaries and the written assessment's subject according to that priority.