Turkish Man Fined After Court Sees What He Saved His Ex-Wife’s Name As In His Phone Contacts

A divorce case in Turkey has made headlines after a man was found guilty of treating his ex-wife badly because of what he saved her contact name as in his phone. The case reached Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals in October 2025 and has now set a new legal rule about what can be used as proof in divorce cases.

The couple’s breakup was first heard at a local family court in Usak, where both wanted to end their marriage. The wife showed the court that her husband had sent her many mean text messages while they were together. Some of these messages said things like “Get lost, I don’t want to see your face” and “Let the devil see your face.”

But what really got the court’s attention was how the husband had saved his wife’s name in his phone. As per OddityCentral, he had put her contact as “Tombik,” which means “chubby” in Turkish. The local court said this was emotional abuse, and Turkey’s 2nd Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals agreed.

Even Your Phone Contacts Aren’t Safe From Court Anymore

The Supreme Court was clear in its decision that this kind of behavior breaks marriage laws. “A spouse’s derogatory, mocking, or unpleasant characterization of the other is contrary to the obligation to respect the marital union. Such behavior constitutes a fault,” the court said. The judges also warned other married couples, saying “Even when you save your spouse’s name in your contacts, do not exceed the limit of respect.”

This case matters because it changes what Turkish courts can look at as proof in divorce cases. Text messages and social media posts have been used as evidence before, but this decision shows that even private contact names on phones can now be checked by courts. Similar to how scammers take advantage of people in stressful moments, this case shows how small things we do online can lead to big problems.

The husband tried to defend himself by saying his ex-wife had cheated on him, but the court found no real proof to back up his story. Because the court ruled against him, he now has to pay more money for both child support and alimony.

Turkey’s Civil Code says that married couples must “show loyalty, respect, and understanding towards each other.” This new court decision shows that this rule now covers not just how couples talk to each other face to face, but also how they refer to each other in private, even in their phone contacts. Like surprise fees that travelers don’t see coming, this ruling surprised many people with its broader view of what counts as evidence.