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Meaning & use

directed verdict

noun·AdvancedlegalAmerican

Last updated

UK/dəˌrektɪd ˈvɜːdɪkt/
US/dəˌrektɪd ˈvɜːrdɪkt/

Meaning

  1. nouncountablelegalAmerican

    A ruling in which a judge decides a case for one side without letting the jury decide, because the evidence cannot reasonably support a different result.

    Grammar: Often used with ask for, grant or win: the judge granted a directed verdict.

    Patterns

    • move for a directed verdict
    • grant a directed verdict

    After the plaintiff finished presenting evidence, the defense asked the judge for a directed verdict.

    The judge granted a directed verdict because no reasonable jury could have found the company responsible.

    The appeal argued that the court was wrong to deny a directed verdict.

Word forms

pluraldirected verdicts

Common combinations

move for a directed verdict
The lawyer moved for a directed verdict at the end of the prosecution's case.
grant a directed verdict
The judge granted a directed verdict in favor of the hospital.
deny a directed verdict
The court denied a directed verdict and let the jury decide.
motion for a directed verdict
A motion for a directed verdict was filed on Monday.
win a directed verdict
The defendant won a directed verdict on the main charge.
seek a directed verdict
The lawyers sought a directed verdict after three days of testimony.

Synonyms and how they differ

judgment as a matter of law
Judgment as a matter of law is the modern formal term in US courts for essentially the same ruling, so it is more up to date but less well known outside courts.
summary judgment
Summary judgment is a ruling made before trial on written evidence, while a directed verdict comes during the trial.
directed acquittal
Directed acquittal is used in criminal cases when the judge orders a not-guilty result, so it is narrower than a directed verdict.

Word family

direct verb
to give an order or instruction
verdict noun
the formal decision of a jury or judge
directed adjective
ordered or guided by someone
jury noun
the group of citizens who decide a case

Commonly confused: directed verdict or summary judgment?

directed verdict vs summary judgment

Summary judgment ends a case before trial because the facts are not disputed, while a directed verdict is ordered during the trial after evidence has been heard.

Practice

After the prosecution's case, the defense asked the judge for a ___ because the evidence was too weak for a jury to convict.

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