Rule 50.Judgment as a matter of law in a jury trial; related motion for a new trial; conditional ruling.

Last verified July 1, 2026

In one sentenceRule 50 lets a judge take an issue away from a jury — before or after the verdict — when the evidence could not reasonably support the other side, and requires a conditional ruling on any linked new-trial request.

Full Text of Rule 50

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

(a) Judgment as a matter of law.

(1) Generally. If a party has been fully heard on an issue during a jury trial and the court finds that a reasonable jury would not have a legally sufficient evidentiary basis to find for the party on that issue, the court may:

(A) Resolve the issue against the party; and

(B) Grant a motion for judgment as a matter of law against the party on a claim or defense that, under the controlling law, can be maintained or defeated only with a favorable finding on that issue.

(2) Motion. A motion for judgment as a matter of law may be made at any time before the case is submitted to the jury. The motion must specify the judgment sought and the law and facts that entitle the movant to the judgment.

(b) Renewing the motion after trial; alternative motion for a new trial. If the court does not grant a motion for judgment as a matter of law made under Rule 50(a), the court is considered to have submitted the action to the jury subject to the court’s later deciding the legal questions raised by the motion. No later than 15 days after the entry of judgment—or if the trial ends without a verdict or with an incomplete verdict that does not decide an issue raised by the motion, no later than 15 days after the jury was discharged-the movant may file a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law and may include an alternative or joint request for a new trial under Rule 59. This deadline may not be extended by stipulation or court order, except as allowed by Rule 6(b)(2). In ruling on the renewed motion, the court may:

(1) Allow judgment on the verdict, if the jury returned a verdict;

(2) Order a new trial; or

(3) Direct the entry of judgment as a matter of law.

(1) Generally. If the court grants a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law, it must also conditionally rule on any motion for a new trial by determining whether a new trial should be granted if the judgment is later vacated or reversed. The court must state the grounds for conditionally granting or denying the motion for a new trial.

(2) Effect of a conditional ruling. Conditionally granting the motion for a new trial does not affect the judgment’s finality; if the judgment is reversed, the new trial must proceed unless the appellate court orders otherwise. If the motion for a new trial is conditionally denied, the appellee may assert error in that denial; if the judgment is reversed, the case must proceed as the appellate court orders.

(d) Time for a losing party’s new trial motion. A party against whom the court enters judgment as a matter of law must file any motion for a new trial within the time required by Rule 59(b).

(e) Denying the motion for judgment as a matter of law; reversal on appeal. If the court denies the motion for judgment as a matter of law, the prevailing party may, as appellee, assert grounds entitling the party to a new trial should the appellate court conclude that the trial court erred in denying the motion. If the appellate court reverses the judgment, it may order a new trial, direct the trial court to determine whether a new trial should be granted, or direct the entry of judgment.

End

Amendment History

Promulgated by R-16-0010, effective January 1, 2017.

Plain-English Summary

At any point before the case goes to the jury, a party may move for judgment as a matter of law on an issue where the opposing party has been fully heard but lacks a legally sufficient evidentiary basis to prevail. The motion must specify the judgment sought and the law and facts supporting it. If the court denies or defers ruling on the motion, the case still goes to the jury, but the movant can renew the motion within 15 days after judgment is entered — or within 15 days after the jury is discharged, if the trial ended without a complete verdict — and may pair it with an alternative request for a new trial under Rule 59. On the renewed motion, the court can let the verdict stand, order a new trial, or direct judgment as a matter of law.

If the court grants the renewed motion, it must also make a conditional ruling on any linked new-trial request, stating whether a new trial should happen if the judgment is later reversed. That conditional ruling doesn't affect the finality of the judgment on appeal: if the judgment is reversed, the new trial proceeds unless the appellate court says otherwise, and if the new-trial request was conditionally denied, the party that won below can still argue that denial was wrong if the judgment is reversed on other grounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move for judgment as a matter of law during trial, or only afterward?

Either. You can move at any point before the case is submitted to the jury, and you can renew the motion after the verdict if the court didn't grant it earlier.

How long do I have to renew the motion after the jury's verdict?

15 days after entry of judgment, or 15 days after the jury is discharged if the trial ended without a complete verdict. This deadline generally cannot be extended by agreement or court order.

What is a "conditional ruling" on a new trial, and why does the court have to make one?

When the court grants judgment as a matter of law, it must also say whether it would grant a new trial if that judgment is later reversed on appeal, so the case doesn't have to start over from scratch if the appellate court disagrees.

Can I combine a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law with a request for a new trial?

Yes, Rule 50(b) lets you include an alternative or joint request for a new trial under Rule 59 in the same renewed motion.

Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the official Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 50). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: JMOL ruledirected verdict ruleJNOV rule