Civil courts of first instance, which are the courts that resolve disputes initially, are established
as either general jurisdiction courts or specialized courts. General jurisdiction courts are established with the Law regarding Establishment, Jurisdiction and Powers of Civil and Criminal Courts of First Instance and Circuit Courts of Appeals (no. 5235),and they are comprised of civil courts of general jurisdiction (asliye hukuk mahkemeleri) and civil courts of peace (sulh hukuk mahkemeleri).