on 7 december 1990, he was appointed as a judge of the constitutional court by turgut özal, then president of the republic of turkey. on 7 december 1999 and 7 december 2003, he was elected twice as the deputy president of the court. on february 10, 2015, he announced his retirement, a month ahead of schedule, after a series of public confrontations between himself and top government officials. he was succeeded by zühtü arslan.