MBE Rules · Civil Procedure
JMOL and renewed JMOL
FRCP 50
The rule
JMOL (Rule 50(a)) — at trial, after the opposing party has been fully heard, if a reasonable jury would not have a legally sufficient basis to find for that party. Renewed JMOL (50(b)) — after verdict, but only on grounds raised in pre-verdict 50(a) motion.
In plain English
If one side thinks there's no way the jury could legally decide against them, they can ask the judge to decide instead. They can ask again after the verdict if they asked before.
Worked example
During a trial, the defendant believes the evidence clearly supports their case and asks the judge to rule in their favor. After losing the verdict, they ask again, but only on the same reasons they mentioned earlier.
Memory hook
JMOL: Jump to Judgment! At trial or after, if no reasonable jury could differ.
The trap
Students think: You can raise new grounds in renewed JMOL. Wrong, because it must be based on the same grounds as the pre-verdict 50(a) motion.
How examiners test it
The MBE loves: post-verdict motions with new grounds. Question: can they raise it? Trap: only if it was in the original JMOL motion (Rule 50(a)).
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