A motion for judgment as a matter of law is a procedure during trial in which a party who does not have the burden of proof on a claim (generally the defendant) or on a defense to a claim (generally the plaintiff) may ask the court to dismiss the claim or defense before the jury is allowed to decide it. The standard for dismissing such a claim or defense is whether no reasonable jury could find for the opposing party on the claim or defense. In the federal court system, a motion for judgment as a matter of law is governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50.

In Minnesota, a motion for judgment as a matter of law is a legal procedure that can be used during a jury trial when a party believes there is insufficient evidence for the opposing party's claim or defense to warrant a jury decision. This motion is typically filed by the defendant in response to the plaintiff's claim, or by the plaintiff in response to the defendant's defense. The standard for the court to grant such a motion is whether the evidence presented, viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, is such that no reasonable jury could find in favor of the non-moving party. If the court finds that the evidence does not meet this standard, it may dismiss the claim or defense without sending it to the jury. In Minnesota state courts, this procedure is governed by the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure, which closely mirror the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Specifically, Rule 50 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which governs motions for judgment as a matter of law in federal courts, is analogous to the rule followed in Minnesota state courts.