A party may move for a directed verdict at the close of the evidence offered by an opponent or at the close of all the evidence. 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 Directed Verdict
Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified July 10, 2026
In one sentenceRule 50 lets a party move for a directed verdict — asking the judge, not the jury, to decide the case — at the close of an opponent’s evidence or of all the evidence, stating specific grounds, without waiving the right to present more evidence or to a jury trial.
Full Text of Rule 50
Amendment History
Amended effective January 1, 1985.
Plain-English Summary
A motion for directed verdict under Rule 50 asks the trial judge to take a claim away from the jury and resolve it as a matter of law, on the theory that the evidence permits only one reasonable outcome. A party may make the motion at the close of the evidence its opponent has offered, or at the close of all the evidence in the case. The motion must state the specific grounds it rests on — a bare request for a directed verdict, without saying why, does not preserve the issue.
Moving for a directed verdict at the close of the opponent’s evidence does not lock a party in. If the court denies the motion, the movant may still put on its own evidence, to the same extent as if it had never asked for the directed verdict. And denial of a directed verdict motion — even one both sides have made — does not waive anyone’s right to have the jury decide the case; the case goes to the jury as though no motion had been filed.
If the court grants the motion, its order takes effect on its own — no assent from the jury is required. Colorado’s rule still uses the traditional label “directed verdict” for this motion, rather than the “judgment as a matter of law” language federal courts adopted in 1991, though the two serve the same function: taking a case from the jury when the evidence permits only one reasonable result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a directed verdict in Colorado?
It is a ruling under Rule 50 in which the judge, not the jury, decides a claim because the evidence permits only one reasonable outcome. Some courts call the equivalent motion “judgment as a matter of law,” but Colorado’s rule uses the traditional “directed verdict” terminology.
When can a party move for a directed verdict?
At the close of the evidence the opposing party has offered, or at the close of all the evidence in the case.
If my directed verdict motion is denied, can I still present my case?
Yes. A party who moves for a directed verdict at the close of the opponent’s evidence may still offer its own evidence if the motion is denied, to the same extent as if the motion had never been made.
Does moving for a directed verdict waive my right to a jury trial?
No. Rule 50 states that a motion for directed verdict that is not granted is not a waiver of the right to a jury trial, even if every party in the case has moved for one.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure (Colo. R. Civ. P. 50). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Colorado (C.R.S. § 13-2-108; Colo. Const. art. VI). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 10, 2026. ·
Official source
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