Pleadings and Motions
Dispositive Motions
Rule 50(a) permits the motion after a party has been fully heard on an issue, before submission to the jury. Rule 50(b) permits renewal after verdict. The standard mirrors summary judgment applied to the trial record.
Renewal is required to preserve the issue.
Alternative Names:
JMOL, Rule 50 Judgment
Why it Matters?
Failing to move under Rule 50(a) before submission forfeits the ability to renew after verdict, which forecloses the most direct route to overturning an adverse jury result. That preservation requirement is strictly applied. The motion should identify each element and the specific evidentiary deficiency rather than asserting insufficiency generally, since the renewed motion is limited to grounds raised in the original.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Why must the motion be made before submission?
How specific must the motion be?
