judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV)

After the jury’s verdict, a party may ask the trial court to disregard the jury’s findings and grant a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV). The trial court may grant such a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict if the evidence conclusively establishes the moving party’s right to a judgment different than the jury’s findings.

In Michigan, after a jury delivers its verdict, a party may file a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV), which is also known as a motion for directed verdict. This motion asks the trial court to set aside the jury's findings and enter a different judgment. The court may grant a JNOV if it finds that the evidence presented at trial, when viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, fails to establish a legally sufficient basis to support the verdict. In other words, the court can only grant a JNOV if, after considering all the evidence, no reasonable jury could have reached the verdict that was issued. This is a high standard to meet, as courts generally uphold the jury's findings unless there is a clear legal basis to do otherwise. The relevant Michigan court rules and case law govern the specific procedures and standards for filing and ruling on a JNOV motion.

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Civil procedure