A "Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict" (NOV) or "in the Alternative, for a New Trial" is a legal motion commonly filed in Wisconsin during a civil trial. It allows the party dissatisfied with the jury's verdict to request the court to overturn the verdict and enter a judgment in their favor, or alternatively, to grant them a new trial. This motion can be crucial when a party believes that the jury's decision was erroneous, inconsistent, unsupported by the evidence, or plagued with legal errors. The Wisconsin court system recognizes different types of motions that seek NOV or a new trial based on specific grounds or circumstances. Some of these variations include: 1. Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (NOV): In this type of motion, the aggrieved party asserts that the jury's verdict is unreasonable, contrary to law, or lacks evidentiary support. They request the court to reevaluate the verdict and enter a judgment that reflects the opposite finding. 2. Motion for a New Trial: A party may choose this option when they argue that the trial was inherently flawed or that specific errors occurred during the proceedings, affecting the fairness or accuracy of the jury's decision. The motion may cite reasons like misconduct by opposing counsel, juror bias, erroneous jury instructions, newly discovered evidence, or any other grounds justifying a retrial. 3. Joint Motion for a New Trial: In some cases, both parties may agree to seek a new trial due to shared concerns about the fairness or propriety of the original trial. This can happen when unforeseen developments or errors substantially impact the court's ability to reach a just verdict. 4. Motion for a New Trial on Damages Only: This motion focuses solely on contesting the jury's awarded damages while accepting liability. The party argues that the awarded damages are excessive, inadequate, or unsupported by the evidence, and requests a retrial limited to determining proper compensation. 5. Renewed Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law: This motion is distinct from NOV and requests the court to reconsider a party's earlier motion made during trial for a judgment in their favor, which was denied. It argues that the evidence presented was insufficient to support the opposing party's case and seeks the court's intervention. Wisconsin's law requires that these motions be timely filed after the jury's verdict is rendered or risk losing the opportunity to challenge the outcome. The moving party must support their motion with persuasive legal arguments, highlighting specific errors or deficiencies that warrant the requested relief. The opposing party will have the opportunity to respond and present counterarguments before the court decides whether to grant the motion, modify the verdict, or deny the request for a new trial.