term:

Preempt

preempt vt

1 a : to acquire (land) by preemption
b : to seize upon to the exclusion of others
: take for oneself [a senior user of a trademark could not use of the mark in remote geographical markets "Mesa Springs Enterprises v. Cutco Indus., 736 P.2d 1251 (1986)"]
2 a : to replace or supersede (a law) by preemption [such state laws are not ed by the federal Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 "National Law Journal"]
b : to preclude or bar (an action) by preemption [federal airline deregulation does not claims under state contract law "National Law Journal"]

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.