UNDERSTANDING MOVE STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE IN URDU PLAINT LETTERS OF FAMILY LAW SUITS: IMPLICATIONS FOR LEGAL PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

The research aims to analyze the structure of Urdu Plaint Letters, specifically focusing on family law suits.A plaint letter is a legal document submitted to a court, which serves as a statement of facts. It explains the grounds and justifications for the action sought by the plaintiff or claimant. The purpose of a plaint is to seek assistance from the court and initiate a civil suit. Following the methodology introduced by Bhatia (1983), the plaints are categorized into four moves: identifying the case, establishing facts of the case, arguing the case, and pronouncing judgment. The study examines the presence and order of these moves in Urdu plaints and proposes three additional moves based on observations. To validate the findings, plaint letters collected from legal professionals are compared with those provided in a book of legal drafting published by Honey Publishers, Multan, known for its Urdu translations. Notable differences are observed in the placement of the subject of the suit, with the book's plaint letters typically positioned at the top of the page, while the lawyers' plaint letters place after court details and parties' names. Additionally, the book's plaint letters include headings, whereas the lawyers' plaint letters do not. These findings shed light on the structural variations between plaint letters intended for student comprehension and those designed for professional submission in court. The research contributes to a better understanding of the structure and communication purposes of Urdu plaints, offering pedagogical insights for learners, teachers, and users of legal discourse.