Progress Of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Turkey

Considering the heavy workload of Turkish courts and the lengthy adjudication process, it is becoming increasingly inevitable for Turkish individuals and legal entities to resolve their disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The two most preferred alternative disputes resolution mechanisms are mediation and arbitration, both backed up by specific laws governing the procedural rules of adjudication and post-adjudication related issues.

The number of disputes referred to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms has substantially increased in recent years. Increase in the number of arbitration proceedings after the enactment of the International Arbitration Law¹ in 2001 was followed by an increase in the use of mediation upon enactment of the Law on Mediation for Civil Disputes² (the "Mediation Law") in 2012. It is expected that the number of arbitration proceedings will increase even more, thanks to the enactment of the Law on the Istanbul