Türkiye Judiciary Workload Analysis Report

The Turkish judiciary system has experienced a 124% increase in absolute case volume since 2009. While the population grew by only 19% during the same period, the number of cases filed in courts rose from 3.9 million to 8.8 million. Although the number of judges and prosecutors was strengthened by 115%, the rate of case growth outpaced staffing increases, resulting in a sustained structural backlog.

This report is based on official data from the UYAP Statistical Information System, HSK Activity Reports, and the Ministry of Justice 2024 Statistics. It identifies structural issues across courts, prosecution offices, and enforcement offices, and presents concrete solution proposals.

Key Findings

Has the judiciary really slowed down?

The most critical finding of the report is this: the perception that “the judiciary has slowed down” is the result of a structural workload explosion rather than a decline in individual performance. Clearance rate data shows that judges continue to resolve 90-97% of incoming cases within the year. The problem lies not in individual speed but in the volume of incoming cases.

Pending case backlog

Pending case stock in courts has grown from 2.4 million to 5.7 million, representing a 127% increase. Each year, unresolved cases carry over to the next, and the backlog continues to grow.

In enforcement offices, the pending case stock has risen from 11 million to 24.5 million. This figure represents a debt/receivable dispute stock equivalent to approximately 28% of Turkiye’s population.

The staffing-caseload gap

Since 2009, the number of judges and prosecutors has been increased from 11,478 to 24,797 (a 116% increase). However, with case growth at 124%, staffing increases have not kept pace with workload demands. Although the number of judges per 100,000 population rose from 10.1 to 19.9, the number of cases per judge has remained flat.

Non-Population Drivers

Given that the population grew by 19% while cases grew by 124%, the majority of the increase stems from non-population factors. The primary drivers, ranked by estimated impact, are as follows:

Digital crime explosion

Fraud cases have surged by 41%. Crimes committed via digital platforms constitute the fastest-growing case category in the criminal judiciary.

Legislative inflation

New legal frameworks such as KVKK (data protection), consumer rights legislation, and occupational safety regulations have expanded the scope of potential litigation. Each new regulation creates potential dispute areas.

Economic volatility

Compensation claims have increased by 40%, and enforcement case stock continues to grow. The mediation settlement rate in rental disputes remains at only 24%.

Lower barriers to filing

The e-Government system and increasing digital literacy have strengthened citizens’ awareness of legal rights and their propensity to file cases.

Solution Proposals

1. Expanding mandatory mediation scope

The current settlement rate stands at 51%. If this rate can be raised to 65-70%, an estimated 350,000-500,000 cases per year could be prevented from reaching the courts. Scope expansion to rental, consumer, and sub-500,000 TL commercial disputes is recommended, alongside fee refunds and tax incentives for parties who reach settlement.

2. Specialised courts for digital crimes

Fraud cases have increased by 41% to reach 169,000. Consolidating cases with similar modus operandi and enabling batch proceedings would improve efficiency. An automated data-sharing infrastructure between law enforcement, prosecution, and banking institutions is recommended.

3. AI-assisted case clearance in enforcement offices

A significant proportion of the 24.5 million pending enforcement files are effectively uncollectable. AI-powered screening and clearance processes, automation of routine seizure, notification, and inquiry procedures, and creditor notifications with collection probability assessments to incentivise voluntary case closure are recommended. Target: a reduction of 3-5 million files.

This report was prepared by Topluyıldız Legal Co. using TL-AI OS. Data sources: UYAP Statistical Information System, HSK Activity Reports, Ministry of Justice 2024 Statistics.