Turkish Court of Cassation issues ruling on alimony requirements

The Turkish Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) has issued a significant ruling regarding alimony obligations in divorce cases. The decision follows a legal dispute originating in Istanbul, where a lower court had initially ordered a man to pay regular poverty alimony to his ex-wife based on the assumption that she might face economic hardship.

Upon appeal, the Court of Cassation reviewed the financial status of both parties. The investigation revealed that the woman is a retiree with a regular monthly income. The high court noted that this pension effectively mitigates the risk of poverty, and since the monthly earnings of both spouses were found to be nearly equal, the requirement for alimony was reconsidered under Article 175 of the Turkish Civil Code.