Rule 50.Judgment as a Matter of Law in Actions Tried by Jury; Alternative Motion for New Trial; Conditional Rulings.
Current through February 2024 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 50 lets a judge take an issue away from the jury and enter judgment as a matter of law when the evidence cannot support a reasonable finding for a party, both during trial and, through a renewed motion, after the jury returns a verdict, with conditional rulings on a new trial.
(1)If during a trial by jury a party has been fully heard on an issue and there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a reasonable jury to find for that party on that issue, the court may determine the issue against that party and may grant a motion for judgment as a matter of law against that party with respect to a claim or defense that cannot under the controlling law be maintained or defeated without a favorable finding on that issue.
(2)Motions for judgment as a matter of law may be made at any time before submission of the case to the jury. Such a motion shall specify the judgment sought and the law and the facts on which the moving party is entitled to the judgment.
(3)When a motion for judgment as a matter of law is made at the close of the evidence offered by an opponent, the court in lieu of granting the motion may order the claim involuntarily dismissed on such terms and conditions as are just, and the dismissal shall be without prejudice. In the absence of a motion, the court may take such action on its own initiative.
(b)Renewal of Motion for Judgment After Trial; Alternative Motion for New Trial. Whenever a motion for a judgment as a matter of law 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. Such a motion may be renewed by service and filing not later than ten (10) days after entry of judgment. A motion for a new trial under Rule 59 may be joined with a renewal of the motion for judgment as a matter of law, or a new trial may be requested in the alternative. If a verdict was returned, the court may, in disposing of the renewed motion, allow the judgment to stand or may reopen the judgment and either order a new trial or direct the entry of judgment as a matter of law. If no verdict was returned, the court may, in disposing of the renewed motion, direct the entry of judgment as a matter of law or may order a new trial.
(c)Conditional Rulings on Grant of Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law.
(1)If a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law 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 Supreme Court.
(2)The party against whom judgment as a matter of law has been rendered may serve a motion for a new trial pursuant to Rule 59 not later than ten (10) days after entry of the judgment.
(d)Denial of Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law. If the motion for judgment as a matter of law 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 Supreme Court concludes that the trial court erred in denying the motion for judgment.
Amendment History
Rhode Island does not publish a per-rule amendment history inside the compiled rules text reproduced here. The text above is verified current through the source’s own February 2024 printing; for the underlying adopting orders and any later amendments, see the Rhode Island Judiciary’s compiled rules page.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 50 covers what happens when the evidence at a jury trial cannot support a verdict for one side on a given issue. If a party has been fully heard on an issue and no reasonable jury could find in that party’s favor, the judge may resolve the issue directly and grant judgment as a matter of law against that party. A party can raise this at any time before the case goes to the jury, and the motion must specify the judgment sought and the grounds for it. This is the same moment traditionally handled by a motion for a directed verdict — the issue never reaches the jury.
If the moving party raises this at the close of the opponent’s evidence, the judge has another option: order the claim dismissed without prejudice instead of granting judgment. The judge can take this step on the court’s own initiative as well, without any motion.
If a motion for judgment as a matter of law made at the close of all the evidence is denied, or the judge never rules on it, the case still goes to the jury, but the losing party can renew the motion within ten days after entry of judgment. This renewed motion covers the ground once handled by a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, or JNOV. It can be paired with, or made as an alternative to, a motion for a new trial under Rule 59. Depending on whether the jury returned a verdict, the judge may let the judgment stand, reopen it and order a new trial, reopen it and direct entry of judgment as a matter of law, or, if no verdict was returned, direct entry of judgment as a matter of law or order a new trial.
When the judge grants the renewed motion, Rule 50 requires the judge to also rule, conditionally, on any accompanying new-trial motion, stating the grounds either way. That conditional ruling does not affect the finality of the judgment already entered. If the case is later reversed on appeal, the conditional grant or denial determines whether a new trial goes forward, unless the Supreme Court has ordered otherwise. The party against whom judgment as a matter of law was rendered can still move for a new trial under Rule 59 within ten days of the judgment. And if the judge denies the motion for judgment as a matter of law altogether, the party who won that ruling can still argue on appeal that a new trial is warranted if the Supreme Court finds the trial judge erred in denying it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is judgment as a matter of law under Rhode Island Rule 50?
It is a ruling the trial judge makes on an issue during trial, before the case reaches the jury, when no reasonable jury could find for the party on that issue given the evidence presented. It takes that issue away from the jury.
Is Rule 50 the same as a directed verdict or JNOV?
Rule 50 covers the same ground under different names. A motion made before the case goes to the jury functions like a traditional directed verdict, and a renewed motion made within ten days after judgment functions like a traditional motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict.
How long do I have to renew a motion for judgment as a matter of law after trial?
Ten days after entry of judgment. The renewed motion can be joined with, or made as an alternative to, a motion for a new trial under Rule 59.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Rhode Island Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure (R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 50). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-6-2). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 8, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:JMOLjudgment as a matter of lawJNOVjudgment notwithstanding the verdictdirected verdictrenewed motion for judgmentmotion for judgment as a matter of law Rhode Island