Legal Definitions - taking a case from the jury

Definition: Taking a case from the jury means that the judge decides the outcome of a trial instead of the jury. This is also known as a directed verdict.

Example: During a trial, the defense argues that there is not enough evidence to support the plaintiff's claim. The judge agrees and decides to take the case from the jury, issuing a directed verdict in favor of the defense.

This example illustrates how taking a case from the jury can occur when the evidence presented in a trial only supports one reasonable outcome, and the judge decides to make the final decision instead of leaving it up to the jury.