Opinion ID: 59493
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Verdict of liability against the weight of the evidence

Text: Defendant protests that the jury's verdict on liability was contrary to the great weight of the evidence and thus a new trial is warranted. Our review of the district court's denial of a motion for a new trial is more deferential than our review of a motion for judgment as a matter of law. We will reverse the trial court's denial of a motion for a new trial only when there is a clear showing of an abuse of discretion. See Hiltgen, 47 F.3d at 703; Dawsey v. Olin Corp., 782 F.2d 1254, 1261 (5th Cir. 1986). To show an abuse of discretion in this respect, the defendant must show an absolute absence of evidence to support the jury's verdict. Whitehead, 163 F.3d at 269; Hiltgen, 47 F.3d at 703; Dawsey, 782 F.2d at 1262. Because we have already concluded that the jury's verdict was supported by the evidence in reviewing the district court's denial of judgment as a matter of law, we necessarily find that there was no abuse of discretion in its denying the motion for a new trial on liability.