Legal Definitions - prevail

To prevail means to achieve a desired outcome, often in a legal dispute, or for a particular idea, argument, or interpretation to become dominant or widely accepted.

• Meaning 1: To win a legal case or achieve a desired legal outcome.

  In this sense, a party in a lawsuit or legal proceeding is said to prevail when they successfully obtain the judgment, relief, or resolution they were seeking.

  • Example: A small business filed a lawsuit against a larger competitor, alleging that the competitor had illegally used its patented technology. After months of litigation and negotiation, the court ruled in favor of the small business, ordering the competitor to pay damages and cease using the technology.

    Explanation: The small business prevailed because it successfully won its case and achieved its desired outcome: a legal ruling that protected its patent and awarded compensation.

• Meaning 2: For an argument, interpretation, or viewpoint to become dominant or widely accepted.

  This usage refers to a particular legal theory, interpretation of a statute, or policy approach gaining acceptance and becoming the standard or most influential view.

  • Example: During a legislative debate on a new environmental protection bill, lawmakers considered several different proposals for regulating industrial emissions. After extensive discussion and amendments, the version of the bill that mandated strict emission caps for all major industries ultimately garnered enough votes to pass.

    Explanation: The proposal for strict emission caps prevailed because it was the specific approach that was ultimately adopted and became law, overriding other proposed methods of regulation.