A more thorough explanation:

Definition: A motion made by a party in a court case asking the judge to enter a judgment in their favor because the opposing party has not presented enough evidence to support their case. This motion is made before the case is given to the jury to decide. It argues that no reasonable jury could find for the opposing party based on the evidence presented.

For example, if a plaintiff sues a defendant for breach of contract, the defendant may file a motion for judgment as a matter of law if they believe that the plaintiff has not presented enough evidence to prove their case. The defendant would argue that even if the jury were to believe all of the plaintiff's evidence, it would not be enough to support a verdict in their favor.

In federal court, this motion can be renewed after a jury has made a decision against the party making the motion. This is called a JNOV (judgment notwithstanding the verdict) motion in state court.

This motion is also known as a motion for a directed verdict.