(a) Motion for Directed Verdict—When Made— Effect. A party who moves for a directed verdict at the close of the evidence offered by an opponent may offer evidence in the event that the motion is not granted, without having reserved the right so to do and to the same extent as if the motion had not been made. A motion for a directed verdict which is not granted is not a waiver of trial by jury even though all parties to the action have moved for directed verdicts. A motion for a directed verdict shall state the specific grounds therefor. The order of the court granting a motion for a directed verdict is effective without any assent of the jury.
Rule 50.Motion for a Directed Verdict and for Judgment.
Last amended July 15, 1994 · Last verified July 6, 2026
In one sentenceRule 50 lets a party move for a directed verdict during trial and, if that's denied, move afterward to have the verdict set aside and judgment entered in its favor instead — with each side's appellate rights preserved either way.
Full Text of Rule 50
(b) Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict. Whenever a motion for a directed verdict made at the close of all the evidence is denied or for any reason is not granted, the court is deemed to have submitted the action to the jury subject to a later determination of the legal questions raised by the motion. Not later than 10 days after the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the judgment, a party who has moved for a directed verdict may move to have the verdict and any judgment entered thereon set aside and to have judgment entered in accordance with the party’s motion for a directed verdict; or if a verdict was not returned such party, within 10 days after the jury has been discharged, may move for judgment in accordance with the party’s motion for a directed verdict. A motion for a new trial may be joined with this motion, or a new trial may be prayed for in the alternative. If a verdict was returned the court may allow the judgment to stand or may set aside the judgment and either order a new trial or direct the entry of judgment as if the requested verdict had been directed. If no verdict was returned the court may direct the entry of judgment as if the requested verdict had been directed or may order a new trial.
(c) Same—Conditional Rulings on Grant of Motion.
(1) If the motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, provided for in subdivision (b) of this rule, is granted, the court shall also rule on the motion for a new trial, if any, by determining whether it should be granted if the judgment is thereafter vacated or reversed, and shall specify the grounds for granting or denying the motion for the new trial. If the motion for a new trial is thus conditionally granted, the order thereon does not affect the finality of the judgment. In case the motion for a new trial has been conditionally granted and the judgment is reversed on appeal, the new trial shall proceed unless the appellate court has otherwise ordered. In case the motion for a new trial has been conditionally denied, the appellee on appeal may assert error in that denial; and if the judgment is reversed on appeal, subsequent proceedings shall be in accordance with the order of the appellate court.
(2) The party whose verdict has been set aside on motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict may serve a motion for a new trial pursuant to Rule 59 not later than 10 days after entry of the judgment notwithstanding the verdict.
(d) Same—Denial of Motion. If the motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict is denied, the party who prevailed on that motion may, as appellee, assert grounds entitling the party to a new trial in the event the appellate court concludes that the trial court erred in denying the motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. If the appellate court reverses the judgment, nothing in this rule precludes it from determining that the appellee is entitled to a new trial, or from directing the trial court to determine whether a new trial shall be granted.
Amendment History
(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; by SCO 554 effective April 4, 1983; and by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994)
Plain-English Summary
A party who moves for a directed verdict at the close of the opponent's evidence can still put on its own evidence if the motion doesn't succeed, exactly as if the motion had never been made, and a denied motion doesn't waive a jury trial even if every party in the case made one. The motion has to spell out its specific grounds, and a granted directed verdict takes effect without any jury involvement. If a directed-verdict motion made at the close of all the evidence is denied or otherwise not granted, the case is treated as having gone to the jury subject to the court later resolving the legal questions the motion raised — so within 10 days of the judgment's distribution date (or, if no verdict came back, within 10 days of the jury's discharge), the same party can move to set aside whatever verdict or judgment resulted and have judgment entered in line with its original motion, joining or alternatively requesting a new trial.
If that later motion is granted, the court also has to rule, at least conditionally, on any joined new-trial request — spelling out whether it would grant a new trial if the judgment gets vacated or reversed on appeal — and that conditional ruling doesn't affect the judgment's finality. A party whose verdict gets set aside this way may still move for an ordinary new trial within 10 days of that ruling. If the motion is denied instead, the party who won that round can still argue on appeal, as the appellee, that it deserves a new trial if the appellate court decides the trial court was wrong to deny the motion — preserving that fallback position without having to file anything further below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does moving for a directed verdict during trial waive my right to keep putting on evidence?
No — if the motion isn't granted, you can still present your own evidence just as if you'd never made the motion.
What is a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict?
A motion, made within 10 days after the judgment is distributed, asking the court to set aside the jury's verdict and enter judgment in line with an earlier directed-verdict motion that was denied at the close of all the evidence.
Can I still ask for a new trial if my judgment notwithstanding the verdict motion is denied?
Yes — as the appellee, you can argue on appeal that you're entitled to a new trial if the appellate court concludes the trial court was wrong to deny that motion.
Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the
official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 50). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: JNOVJMOLdirected verdict Alaska civil trialjudgment notwithstanding the verdict AlaskaJNOV Alaska rulemotion for new trial after verdict AlaskaAlaska R. Civ. P. 50