A "directed verdict" means when a judge decides to end a trial without letting the jury deliberate and make a decision because there's not enough evidence to support the opposing side's case. Full definition
Cases that often should not have been filed and many times should not have made it past the motion for directed verdict are going to jury. (lawyer-monthly.com)
When a case does not survive past motion for directed verdict, then it often should not have gone to trial in the first place. (lawyer-monthly.com)
See, e.g., Langlois v. Wolford, 539 S.E. 2d 565, 567 - 68 (2000)(denying motion for directed verdict on issue of punitive damages because evidence that the negligent driver left the scene of an accident, was intoxicated, and had a history of DUI and other traffic violations was sufficient to support the jury's punitive damages award). (atlanta-injury-attorney-blog.com)