Turkey’s Court of Cassation has issued a precedent-setting ruling recognizing extreme frugality as grounds for both divorce and financial compensation. The case involved a spouse who imposed severe restrictions on household resources, including limiting electricity usage to the point of forcing the other spouse to live in darkness, restricting heating, and cutting off access to basic food items under the guise of preventing waste. The court determined these controlling and restrictive behaviors constituted unacceptable treatment within the marriage. This decision establishes that such excessive and controlling financial restraint can be legally considered a violation of marital harmony. The ruling allows the aggrieved spouse to seek divorce and claim financial damages as a result of the other’s actions. Legal experts anticipate this case will set a new standard for evaluating marital conduct in divorce proceedings involving financial control.