Verdict returned by the jury at the direction of the trial judge, by whose direction the jury is bound. In civil proceedings either party may receive a directed verdict in its favor if the opposing party fails to present a Prima Facie case or a necessary defense.
Directed verdict
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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.
A procedural device whereby the decision in a case is taken out of the hands of the jury by the judge.
A verdict is generally directed in a jury trial where there is no other possible conclusion because the side with the burden of proof has not offered sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case.
A directed verdict is provided for by federal and state rules of civil procedure. In a criminal action, an acquittal may be directed in favor of a defendant, based upon rules of criminal procedure.
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directed verdict |
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
a verdict entered by the court in a jury trial without consideration by the jury; there cannot be a directed verdict of guilty in a criminal trial
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| Fair trial · Speedy trial Jury trial · Counsel Presumption of innocence Exclusionary rule1 Self-incrimination Double jeopardy2 |
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| Conviction · Acquittal Not proven3 Directed verdict |
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| Mandatory · Suspended Custodial Dangerous offender4, 5 Capital punishment Execution warrant Cruel and unusual punishment Life · Indefinite |
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| Parole · Probation Tariff6 · Life licence6 Miscarriage of justice Exoneration · Pardon |
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In law, a directed verdict is an order from the judge presiding over a jury trial that one side or the other wins. Typically, the judge orders a directed verdict after finding that no reasonable jury could reach a decision to the contrary. After a directed verdict, there is no longer any need for the jury to decide the case.
A judge may order a directed verdict as to an entire case or only to certain issues. While the motion is not often granted, it is routinely made as a means of preserving appeal rights later.
In a criminal case in the United States, a judge may only order a directed verdict for acquittal, for the ability to convict is reserved to the jury. In a civil action, a related concept to the directed verdict is that of a non-suit.
The phrase arose when judges actually directed a jury to leave the courtroom, deliberate, and return with only the verdict predetermined by the judge. At least one jury ignored this instruction and returned a contrary verdict, leading to quite an angry response from an appellate court[citation needed]. For most of modern judicial history, however, judges in the United States have directed a verdict without a need of a jury. This term has largely been replaced in the American legal system with Judgment as a matter of law.
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 | Business Dictionary. Dictionary of Business Terms. Copyright © 2000 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Law Encyclopedia. West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Copyright © 1998 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- Insufficient Evidence
- N.O.v. [Non Obstante Verdicto]
- Summary Judgment
- Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (legal term)
- Prima Facie Case
- Against the
- Verdict
- Prima Facie (legal term)
- Burden of Going Forward (legal term)
- Opening Statement (legal term)
- Burden of Proof
- Trial (legal term)
- Motion (legal term)
- Petit Juries
