judgment as a matter of law

A judgment as a matter of law (JMOL) is a judgment entered during a jury trial, either before or after verdict, when a party has been fully heard on the issue and the court finds that no reasonable jury could reach a different conclusion (i.e., whatever evidence exists for the opposite conclusion is legally insufficient).

The standard for judgment as a matter of law in federal courts is found in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50, which outlines the rules for a judgment as a matter of law as follows:

• In General. If a party has been fully heard on an issue during a jury trial and the court finds that a reasonable jury would not have a legally sufficient evidentiary basis to find for the party on that issue, the court may:
  • resolve the issue against the party; and
  • grant a motion for judgment as a matter of law against the party on a claim or defense that, under the controlling law, can be maintained or defeated only with a favorable finding on that issue.

  The rule also includes methods for renewing the motion after trial and conditions for granting the motion. The introduction of the judgment as a matter of law by the FRCP replaced the similar judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV). Some states still retain the JNOV language in their civil procedure codes, like California’s Code of Civil Procedure §629 – Motion for judgment notwithstanding verdict.

  [Last updated in June of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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