§ 136.480 Reconsideration of verdict when jury makes mistake as to law

If a jury reaches a verdict but the judge thinks they got the law wrong, the judge can step in. The judge can explain what they think the jury misunderstood and send the jury back to think it over again.

However, the judge can only push back once. If the jury reconsiders and comes back with the exact same verdict, the judge has to accept it. The judge cannot keep sending the jury back over and over just because they disagree with the outcome. This rule gives judges a limited way to catch clear legal mistakes while still respecting the jury's final say.