A motion for new trial is a procedure that allows the trial court to order a new trial to correct significant errors in the previous trial that prevented a party from receiving a fair trial.
In Arizona, a motion for a new trial is governed by the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, specifically Rule 59. A party may file a motion for a new trial within a specified time frame, usually no later than 15 days after the entry of judgment. The grounds for requesting a new trial can include errors of law made by the court, misconduct by the jury or opposing party, newly discovered evidence that could not have been obtained with reasonable diligence before the trial, excessive or insufficient damages, error in the admission or rejection of evidence, among others. The purpose of the motion is to ask the original trial court to reexamine issues when there is a belief that the trial was not fair due to significant procedural or substantive mistakes. If the court finds that these errors likely affected the verdict, it may grant a new trial to ensure justice is served.