On motion, any party may have judgment in that party's favor despite an adverse verdict, or the jury's failure to return any verdict under any of the following circumstances:
Rule 1.1003.Judgment notwithstanding verdict
Division X: Proceedings After Judgment · Last amended February 15, 2002 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.1003 lets a party win judgment notwithstanding an adverse verdict, or the jury's failure to reach one, when the opponent's pleadings failed to state a complete claim or defense, or when the movant was entitled to a directed verdict the jury did not return.
Full Text of Rule 1.1003
(1) If the pleadings of the adverse party fail to allege some material fact necessary to constitute a complete claim or defense and the motion clearly specifies such failure.
(2) If the movant was entitled to a directed verdict at the close of all the evidence, and moved therefor, and the jury did not return such verdict, the court may then either grant a new trial or enter judgment as though it had directed a verdict for the movant.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 1.1003 authorizes a judgment notwithstanding the verdict on two independent grounds. The first is a pure pleading defect: if the adverse party's own pleadings fail to allege some material fact necessary to a complete claim or defense, and the motion clearly specifies that failure, the movant can have judgment despite an adverse verdict or the jury's failure to return one at all.
The second ground turns on trial evidence rather than the pleadings. If the movant was entitled to a directed verdict at the close of all the evidence, moved for one, and the jury did not return that verdict, the court has a choice: it may either grant a new trial or enter judgment as though it had directed a verdict for the movant. That choice means winning on this ground does not guarantee an outright judgment — the court can instead send the case back for a new trial.
Both grounds depend on preserving the issue at trial. The pleading-defect ground requires the motion to specify the failure clearly, and the directed-verdict ground requires having moved for a directed verdict at the close of all the evidence in the first place. Rule 1.1007 then sets the 15-day deadline for filing this motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a judgment notwithstanding the verdict under Iowa's rules?
A judgment entered in a party's favor despite an adverse jury verdict, or despite the jury's failure to reach any verdict, under Rule 1.1003.
What are the grounds for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict motion in Iowa?
Either the adverse party's pleadings failed to allege a material fact necessary for a complete claim or defense, with the motion specifying that failure, or the movant was entitled to a directed verdict at the close of all the evidence, moved for one, and the jury did not return it.
Do I have to have moved for a directed verdict at trial to win this motion?
Yes, at least under Rule 1.1003(2) — you must have moved for a directed verdict at the close of all the evidence.
If I win on the directed-verdict ground, must the court enter judgment for me?
Not necessarily. Rule 1.1003(2) gives the court discretion to either enter judgment as though it had directed a verdict for the movant, or grant a new trial instead.
How long do I have to file this motion in Iowa?
Rule 1.1007 requires motions under Rule 1.1003 to be filed within 15 days after the verdict, report, or decision is filed, or after discharge of a deadlocked jury, unless the court extends that for good cause, up to 30 additional days.
Source & verification. Rule text and the Comment are
reproduced verbatim from the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Iowa Supreme Court. Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: iowa jnov motioniowa judgment notwithstanding verdictiowa rule 1.1003directed verdict motion iowajnov deadline iowa