What is the adjective for "supersedure" or "primacy"?
Is there an adjective that can express the concept of a law that supersedes other laws?
I would prefer a single adjective that has legal connotations, although a present participle will suffice. The phrases supreme law and overruling law approximate this concept, but supreme merely seems to indicate significance, and overruling implies direct contradiction, rather than "displacement in favor of another" as supersedure indicates (the laws do not run completely contrary to one another, but one is more appropriate and takes precedent). Also, the phrases the law which has primacy over other laws and the law which supersedes other laws are too wordy and awkward for my intended usage in a paper about a certain contentious Supreme Court decision.
Is there an adjectival form of "primacy" or "supersedure", or another adjective which accurately describes this legal usage? Here is the sort of context in which I intend to use such an adjective:
The ruling demonstrated disregard for the ________ constitution/law/legal right.
I would imagine the simplest way to do it would be simply superseding; but since you’re looking for more legalistic-sounding terms, there is:
The ruling demonstrated disregard for the supersessory constitution/law/legal right.
The OED defines supersessory (or its synonym, supersessive) as:
Having the quality or character of supersession; taking the place of something or someone displaced
– and gives a citation that appears to me (who am not very well-versed in US law, I should note!) to be quite parallel to what you’re looking for:
His decrees are always in the form of rescripts, which conclude with a general supercessory clause, contrariis quibuscunque non obstantibus. (The Monthly Review (London), Sept. 205, 1789)
Consider the term preemption
a doctrine in conflicts of law: when a superior government (as of a state) has undertaken to regulate a subject its laws supersede those of an inferior government (as of a municipality).
According to the doctrine of preemption, federal law supersedes state law when federal law is in conflict with a state law on a subject or when there is congressional intent to regulate a subject to the exclusion of the states. Federal preemption is based on the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution and is closely related to the powers granted Congress in the commerce clause.
The adjectival form is preemptive.
Perhaps 'overarching' ? Not strictly related to legal matters of course.
I'd go with 'ultimate' as in the 'ultimate authority.'
Alternatively, 'fundamental' may be more in line with your example sentence.