What is meant by a "directed verdict" in court proceedings?

A directed verdict is a judicial directive that occurs when the judge instructs the jury on how to decide a case, typically indicating that no reasonable jury could find in favor of the opposing party based on the evidence presented. When a judge issues a directed verdict, it effectively removes the decision-making power from the jury regarding that aspect of the case, as the judge believes the evidence conclusively favors one side. This situation usually arises in civil cases, where one party may not have provided sufficient evidence to support their claims, leading the judge to direct the jury to rule in favor of the other party without the need for further deliberation.

This understanding clarifies why the option about the judge's instruction for jury response accurately captures the essence of what a directed verdict entails. In contrast, the other choices do not reflect the proper definition: a verdict reached by jury deliberation involves the jury making their own decision without direct judicial guidance, a form of judicial review pertains to higher courts examining lower court decisions rather than jury verdicts, and a request for a new trial deals with post-trial motions rather than decisions made during trial proceedings.