Can a Judge Overturn a Jury Verdict? Yes — But Only in Narrow Ways
Reference Guide
The short answer to “can a judge overturn a jury verdict” is yes, in a civil case, if no reasonable jury could have reached it, or a new trial if the trial was unfair. A judge cannot overturn a criminal jury’s not-guilty verdict. The question is in the news because Live Nation and Ticketmaster asked a federal judge to throw out the April 15, 2026 monopoly verdict against them. As of October 16, 2026, we found no ruling.
Questions about this case?
AI Legal Assistant · free · answers in seconds · general information, not legal advice
Independent information service: Settlement Insight is not the settlement administrator, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the company named above, and is not a law firm. Submitting this form does not file a claim — it shares your information with our participating legal intake partners, who may contact you about your options.
The Three Ways a Judge Can Undo a Civil Verdict
1. Judgment as a matter of law (Rule 50). In federal court, a judge can rule for the losing side if “a reasonable jury would not have a legally sufficient evidentiary basis” for the verdict. The losing party must first make the motion before the case goes to the jury, then renew it no later than 28 days after judgment is entered. Many state courts still call this a JNOV — judgment notwithstanding the verdict.
2. A new trial (Rule 59). This does not hand the win to the other side; it orders the case tried again. Grounds include a verdict against the weight of the evidence or misconduct that made the trial unfair. The deadline is also 28 days after judgment, and the judge must state the reasons in the order.
3. Cutting the award (remittitur). If damages are excessive, the judge can offer the plaintiff a lower amount. The plaintiff may accept it or face a new trial.
The limit on all three is the Seventh Amendment: no fact tried by a federal civil jury may be “otherwise reexamined” except under common-law rules. A judge who simply disagrees with the jury is not enough.
Case details
Criminal cases work differently. A jury’s not-guilty verdict “cannot be overturned.” That is why jury nullification is possible, even though it is not a legally sanctioned function of the jury.
The protection runs one way. A defendant can ask the judge for a judgment of acquittal under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29. In United States v. Martin Linen Supply Co., the Supreme Court held that the Double Jeopardy Clause bars an appeal and a retrial once a judge enters that acquittal. A guilty verdict, by contrast, can be challenged by motion and on appeal.
The cases in this page: United States of America v. Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., No. 1:24-cv-03973 (S.D.N.Y., Judge Arun Subramanian); and Frasco v. Flo Health, Inc., No. 3:21-cv-00757 (N.D. Cal., Judge James Donato). State courts follow their own rules, which differ in name and deadlines.
In the News: Live Nation Asks a Judge to Undo Its Verdict
Flo Health / Meta — verdict upheld. A jury found in August 2025 that Meta violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act. In September 2025, Judge Donato refused to overturn it or order a new trial. He called Meta’s consent argument “rank speculation.” Details are on our Flo app lawsuit page.
Baby-formula NEC case — verdict thrown out. In October 2024, a St. Louis jury cleared Abbott and Mead Johnson. On March 13, 2025, Missouri Circuit Judge Michael Noble ordered a new trial, finding that defense lawyers had engaged in misconduct. Reckitt said it would appeal. See our NEC trial page.
Does a Challenged Verdict Affect You?
Only if you are a party or a class member in the case. For everyone else, this is a question about how courts work.
If you bought concert tickets: the Live Nation verdict was won by 33 states and the District of Columbia. A week into trial, the Justice Department had settled. The states are seeking Ticketmaster’s divestiture, damages, civil penalties and restitution in a separate remedies phase. Nothing on this page creates a claim, and there is no form to file because of the verdict.
If you won or lost a trial yourself: the clocks are short. In federal civil cases, both the Rule 50(b) and Rule 59 motions are due no later than 28 days after judgment is entered. A Rule 50(b) motion is only available if an earlier motion was made before the jury got the case. State deadlines differ. A lawyer who has read your docket is the only reliable guide.
Why a Verdict Is Not a Payment Yet
How often verdicts survive: the best national data is from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. It covers state civil trials concluded in 2005, so it is old. Parties appealed 15% of 26,950 trials. Of the appeals decided on the merits, the verdict or judgment was fully or partly reversed in 35%. Awards of $100,000 or more were reversed more often than trials with no damages. Appeals decided on the merits took 14 months on average.
So a large verdict is real but not final. Until the post-trial motions and appeals are resolved, no court-approved payment exists.
Live Nation: A Verdict Under Challenge
May 2024 — The Government Sues
The Justice Department and states sue Live Nation and Ticketmaster over the 2010 merger, in No. 1:24-cv-03973 in the Southern District of New York.
March 2, 2026 — Trial Begins
A week in, the Justice Department settles. A coalition of 33 states and the District of Columbia rejects that deal and continues to a jury.
April 15, 2026 — The Verdict
The jury finds illegal monopolization of primary concert ticketing and an overcharge of $1.72 per ticket on sales from May 2020 to 2024.
May 21, 2026 — The Request to Overturn
The companies file a Rule 50(b) motion for judgment on every claim and, as a fallback, a Rule 59 motion for a new trial.
July 2, 2026 — Final Briefs
Live Nation files its reply briefs, the last written round before Judge Arun Subramanian rules on both motions.
October 16, 2026 — No Ruling Found
We found no published decision on the post-trial motions. If the verdict stands, the remedies phase decides what the companies must do or pay.
Three Things to Watch For
Big verdicts in the news are used to sell things that do not exist:
“Claim your Ticketmaster verdict refund”
The $1.72 figure is a jury’s overcharge finding, not a payment schedule. The verdict is being challenged, and remedies are undecided. A site asking for your card number to “release” a refund is not connected to the case.
“Your Meta / Flo verdict payment is ready”
A verdict is not a check. Any money in the Flo case would come through a court-approved process announced on the official case site. Nobody legitimate charges a fee to release it.
“Guaranteed reversal” offers
Services that promise to get a verdict overturned are selling a result no one can promise. Even among appeals decided on the merits, the BJS found 35% reversed in whole or in part. Missing the 28-day federal deadline can end the post-trial option entirely.
Overturning Jury Verdicts — Questions People Actually Ask
Short answers to the questions people ask most about this case.
Can a judge overturn a jury verdict?
Yes, in civil cases. A judge can enter judgment for the losing side if no reasonable jury could have reached the verdict (Rule 50). The judge can order a new trial (Rule 59), or reduce excessive damages through remittitur. A judge cannot overturn a criminal jury’s not-guilty verdict.
How often are jury verdicts overturned?
The national figures are state civil trials concluded in 2005, from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Parties appealed 15% of 26,950 trials. Of the appeals decided on the merits, 35% ended with the verdict or judgment fully or partly reversed. We found no comparable national figure for judges granting post-trial motions.
Can a judge overturn a not guilty verdict?
No. A not-guilty verdict cannot be overturned. If a judge enters a judgment of acquittal, the Supreme Court held in Martin Linen Supply that the prosecution cannot appeal it and the case cannot be retried.
What is a JNOV?
Judgment notwithstanding the verdict: the judge sets aside the jury’s verdict and enters judgment for the losing party without a new trial. Federal courts replaced the term with “judgment as a matter of law”; many state courts still use JNOV. Some states require an earlier directed-verdict motion to preserve it — see our directed verdict page.
How long does the losing side have to ask?
In federal civil cases, no later than 28 days after the entry of judgment for both the renewed Rule 50(b) motion and a Rule 59 new-trial motion. The judge may also order a new trial on its own within the same 28 days. State courts set their own deadlines.
Can a judge just lower the amount instead?
Yes, through remittitur. If the judge finds the award excessive, the plaintiff gets a choice: accept a reduced amount or go through a new trial.
Is jury nullification legal?
It is a different question from this page. Jury nullification means jurors acquit despite the evidence. It works only because a not-guilty verdict cannot be overturned, but it is not a legally sanctioned function of the jury, and lawyers are not permitted to argue it to jurors. We found no reliable data on how often it happens.
Did the judge overturn the Live Nation verdict?
Not as of October 16, 2026, as far as we could find. Live Nation’s Rule 50(b) and Rule 59 motions were filed May 21, 2026 and fully briefed by July 2, 2026, before Judge Arun Subramanian. If he denies them, the case moves to remedies; an appeal would follow later.
About This Information
- Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology. Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
- $236 billion in real payouts analyzed · See what we found
This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Lawsuit status, eligibility, and compensation can change. Settlement Insight is not a law firm and does not represent any party. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Related Consumer Brand Lawsuits
Other cases and free tools — not about this case.
Similar cases we track
- Jury Verdicts ExplainedWhat a verdict decides, and what still has to happen after it
- Directed VerdictWhen a judge takes a case from the jury before it deliberates
- Ticketmaster SettlementWhere the Ticketmaster cases stand for ticket buyers
- Open Class Action SettlementsSettlements taking claims now, with deadlines