The questions we are asked most often, and those most searched by people facing a legal issue in Tunisia. Sourced answers, no jargon.
Lawyers' fees are freely set in Tunisia: they vary with the complexity of the case, the court seised and the lawyer's experience. The National Bar Association nonetheless sets a minimum scale below which a lawyer may not go. In practice, expect from around TND 1,500 for a civil, commercial or criminal case, before the cantonal court as well as the court of first instance. Always ask for a written estimate before proceedings begin.
It depends on the type of divorce. Commonly observed ranges run from about TND 800 to 2,500 per lawyer for divorce by mutual consent, around TND 1,500 to 2,000 for unilateral divorce, and TND 2,000 to 2,500 per party for divorce for prejudice. These figures are indicative and do not replace a quotation.
Bring every written document that records your situation: contract, correspondence, formal notice, judgment, writ of service, statements. The date on a writ of service is decisive: it is what starts the appeal deadlines running. The more complete the file, the more reliable the advice.
Twenty days from the date the contested decision is served, on pain of forfeiture (article 195 of the Code of Civil and Commercial Procedure). The deadline runs from service, not from delivery of the decision. Read the analysis
Yes. Article 182 of the Code of Civil and Commercial Procedure requires the appeal to be brought by written petition presented by a lawyer, filed with the registry of the court that issued the contested decision. In Tunisia, only lawyers admitted to the Court of Cassation may plead before it. Read the analysis
As a rule, no. Article 194 of the CCCP provides for suspensive effect only in a closed list of cases, such as divorce or a judgment against the State. The successful party may therefore continue enforcement while cassation proceedings are pending. Read the analysis
The court of first instance rules on facts and law. The Court of Appeal re-examines the case, facts included. The Court of Cassation does not retry the facts: it only verifies that the law was correctly applied. Read the analysis
No. No succession reform has been enacted. The applicable law remains Book IX of the Personal Status Code. The succession equality reform, revived in 2018, prompted intense debate but did not result in legislation. Read the analysis
No. Article 123 of the Personal Status Code protects six categories of heirs against total exclusion: the father, the mother, the daughter, the son, the husband and the wife. Testamentary freedom exists but cannot set aside the priority statutory heirs. Read the analysis
There is no single fixed share. Entitlements vary with the family configuration on the date of death: children, parents, surviving spouse, collateral relatives, and the number of heirs in each rank. Where the fixed shares do not exhaust the estate, the radd mechanism distributes the residue. Read the analysis
Yes, if the use of a fixed-term contract does not fall within one of the three cases allowed by article 6(4) of the Labour Code since Law No. 2025-9 of 21 May 2025: an unforeseeable and temporary increase in activity, temporary replacement of a permanent employee, or seasonal work. Outside those cases, the contract is deemed to be concluded for an indefinite term. Read the analysis
Labour subcontracting — the supply of personnel — has been entirely prohibited since Law No. 2025-9. A contract for services, under which a provider performs a defined task with its own resources and under its own direction, falls under a distinct regime. Read the analysis
Law No. 2016-36 of 29 April 2016 organises a rescue regime in three stages: notification of signs of economic difficulty, amicable settlement, then judicial settlement. The aim is to continue the business, maintain jobs and pay the debts. Acting early widens the options; a late filing removes them. Read the analysis
The standard rate is 15%, applicable since 2022. Reduced rates of 20% and 10% apply to certain activities, and a 35% rate targets the financial sector, telecommunications, insurance and the petroleum sector. Read the analysis
Law No. 2025-17 of 12 December 2025. It introduces, among other measures, a permanent 4% levy on the profits of certain sectors, with an annual minimum of 10,000 dinars, not deductible from the corporate income tax base. Read the analysis
No. The text is a draft decree-law finalised by the Ministry of State Domains and Land Affairs, but it has been neither adopted nor published in the Official Gazette. Until a text is published, it does not apply. Read the analysis
Have the exact land status of the property verified — registered, undergoing registration, or collective — together with the identity of the owners and the absence of charges and registrations. This verification is done before any payment, not after.
At Centre Babel, Staircase D, 2nd floor, Cité Montplaisir, 1073 Tunis. The firm has practised since 1973 and has two partners: Mr. Mohsen Harbi, Attorney at the Court of Cassation, and Ms. Hela Harbi, Attorney at the Court of Appeal.
By telephone on +216 71 905 417, via WhatsApp, or through the form on the contact page. Set out your situation briefly and attach the key documents if you have them — this allows the meeting to be prepared.
This article provides general legal information, current as of 19 August 2026. It is not legal advice and does not replace an assessment of your specific situation. Only the texts published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Tunisia are authoritative.