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Civil procedure

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 Virginia, after a jury has rendered its verdict, a party who is dissatisfied with the outcome may file a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV), which is also known as a motion to set aside the verdict. This motion asks the trial court to override the jury's decision and enter a different judgment. The standard for granting a JNOV is stringent; the court can only grant this motion if it finds that no reasonable jury could have reached the verdict based on the evidence presented at trial. In other words, the evidence must so overwhelmingly favor the moving party that the court can conclude the jury's verdict was incorrect as a matter of law. This is a high threshold to meet, and JNOVs are not commonly granted. If the trial court denies the motion, the party may then appeal the decision to a higher court. The relevant Virginia statutes and case law govern the specific procedures and standards for filing and ruling on a JNOV.

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Civil procedure

judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV)

Individual & Family Legal Plan

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Virginia State Code

Virginia State Code

Civil procedure

judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV)

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