Trade Secret Laws-state and federal

Trade Secrets Laws-State & Federal

Trade secrets are protected by both state laws-which vary from state-to-state (see below)-and the federal Economic Espionage Act of 1996 (pdf of text) (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1831-1839).

Most states (46) use a version of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (pdf of text) (UTSA) as a default set of rules to deal with misappropriation of trade secrets. The Uniform Trade Secret Act is part of the states’ civil codes and spells out liability and injunctions to remedy misappropriation. The UTSA defines:

"Trade secret" means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process, that: (i) derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use, and (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

The Economic Espionage Act is a criminal statute and makes it a felony to sell, disseminate, or otherwise deal in trade secrets, or attempt to do so, without the owner's consent. The term "trade secret" is potentially much broader than the UTSA definition and means “all forms and types of financial, business, scientific, technical, economic, or engineering information, including patterns, plans, compilations, program devices, formulas, designs, prototypes, methods, techniques, processes, procedures, programs, or codes, whether tangible or intangible, and whether or how stored, compiled, or memorialized physically, electronically, graphically, photographically, or in writing if--(A) the owner thereof has taken reasonable measures to keep such information secret; and (B) the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable through proper means by, the public[.]” 18 U.S.C. §1839(3).

	Use Form of Uniform Trade Secrets Act	Trade Secrets Statute	Link to Statute
Alabama	Yes	Ala. Code. §§ 8-27-1 et seq. (Title 8, Ch.27)	Alabama Trade Secrets Act
Alaska	Yes	Alaska Stat. §§ 45.50.910 et seq.	Alaska Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Arizona	Yes	ARS 44-401-407 (Title 44, Ch.4)	Arizona Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Arkansas	Yes	Ark. Stat. Ann. §§ 4-75-601 et seq. (Title 4, Subtitle 6, Ch. 75, Subchapter 6)	Arkansas Uniform Trade Secrets Act
California	Yes	Cal. Civ. Code §§ 3426 et seq.	California Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Colorado	Yes	Col. Rev. Stat §§ 7-74-101 (Title 7, Article 74)	Colorado Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Connecticut	Yes	Conn. Genl. Stat. §§ 35-50 et seq. (Chapter 625)	Connecticut Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Delaware	Yes	Del. Code Ann. Title 6 §§ 2001 et seq. (Title 6, Subtitle 2, Ch. 20)	Delaware Uniform Trade Secrets Act
District of Columbia	Yes	D.C. Code Ann. §§ 36-401 et seq. (Division 5, Title 36, Ch. 4)	District of Columbia Trade Secrets
Florida	Yes	Fla. Stat Ann. §§ 688.001 et seq. (Title 39, Ch. 688)	Florida Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Georgia	Yes	O.C.G.A. 10-1-760 (Title 10, Ch. 1, Article 27)	Georgia Trade Secrets Act of 1990
Hawaii	Yes	Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 482B-1 et seq.	Hawaii Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Idaho	Yes	Idaho Code §§ 48-801 et seq. (Title 48, Ch. 8)	Idaho Trade Secrets Act
Illinois	Yes	765 ILCS 1065 (Ch. 765, Sec. 1065)	Illinois Trade Secrets Act
Indiana	Yes	Ind. Code. Ann. §§ 24-3-1 (Title 24, Ar.2, Ch.3)	Indiana Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Iowa	Yes	Iowa 13-5-550.1 (Title 13, Subtitle.5, Ch.550)	Iowa Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Kansas	Yes	Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 60-3320 et seq. (Ch.60, Ar.33)	Kansas ACTIONS RELATING TO COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY (Trade Secrets Act)
Kentucky	Yes	KRS 365.880 to 365.900 (Ch.365)	Kentucky Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Louisiana	Yes	La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 51:1431 et seq. (Title 51, Sec.1431,Ch.13-A)	Louisiana Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Maine	Yes	M.R.S.A. Title 10 §§ 1541 et seq. (Title 10, Ch.302)	Maine Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Maryland	Yes	Md. Com. L. Code §§ 11-1201 et seq. (Title 11, Subtitle 12)	Maryland Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Massachusetts	No	MA 15-93-42 (Part 1, Title 15, Ch.93, Sec.42)	Massachusetts Taking of trade secrets
Michigan	Yes	MCL 445.1902 (Ch.445, Act 448 of 1998, Sec. 445.1902)	Michigan Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Minnesota	Yes	Minn. Stat Ann. §§ 325C.01 et seq. (Ch.325C)	Minnesota Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Mississippi	Yes	Mississippi 75-26-3 (Title 75, Ch.26)	Mississippi Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Missouri	Yes	XXVI Mo.Rev.Stat. Sec. 417.450 (Title 26, Ch.417)	Missouri Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Montana	Yes	Mont. Code Ann. §§ 30-14-401 et seq. (Title 30, Ch.14, Part 4)	Montana Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Nebraska	Yes	Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 87-501 et seq.	Nebraska Trade Secrets Act
Nevada	Yes	Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 600A.010 et seq. (Ch.600A)	Nevada Uniform Trade Secrets Act
New Hampshire	Yes	New Hampshire 31-350B (Title 31, Ch.350B)	New Hampshire Uniform Trade Secrets Act
New Jersey	No	New Jersey Title 2C:20-1	New Jersey Code of Crimiinal Justice
New Mexico	Yes	N.M. Stat. Ann.§§ 57-3A-1 et seq. (Ch.57, Ar.3A)	New Mexico Uniform Trade Secrets Act
New York	No
North Carolina	Yes	N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 66-152 et seq. (Ch.66, Ar. 24)	North Carolina Trade Secrets Protection Act
North Dakota	Yes	N.D. Cent. Code §§ 47-25.1-01 et seq. (Title 47, Ch.25)	North DakotaTrade Secrets
Ohio	Yes	Ohio 13-1333-61 (Title 13, Ch.1333)	Ohio Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Oklahoma	Yes	O.S. 86-78 (Sec.86, Ttitle 78)	Oklahoma Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Oregon	Yes	Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 646.461 et seq. (Vol.14, Ch.646)	Oregon Trade Secrets
Pennsylvania	Yes	12 Pa.C.S.A. 5301 (Title 12, Part 5, Ch. 53)	Pennsylvania Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Rhode Island	Yes	R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 6-41-1 et seq. (Title 6, Ch.6-41)	Rhode Island Uniform Trade Secrets Act
South Carolina	Yes	SC ST SEC 39-8-10 (Title 39, Ch.8)	South Carolina Trade Secrets Act
South Dakota	Yes	S.D. Cod. Laws §§ 37-29-1 et seq. (Title 37, Ch.29)	South Dakota Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Tennessee	Yes	Tennessee 47-25-1701 (Title 47, Ch. 25, Part 17)	Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Texas	No	Texas 7-31.05 (Title 7, Ch.31)	Texas Theft of Trade Secrets
U.S. Virgin Islands	Yes	Virgin Islands Code Title 11 Ch16	U.S. Virgin Islands Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Utah	Yes	Utah Code Ann. §§ 13-24-1 et seq. (Title 13, Ch.24)	Utah Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Vermont	Yes	Vermont Titlte 9, Ch. 143	Vermont Trade Secrets
Virginia	Yes	Va. Code. Ann. §§ 59.1-336 et seq. (Title 59.1, Ch. 26)	Virginia Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Washington	Yes	Wash. Rev. Code. Ann. §§ 19.108.010 et seq. (Title 19, Ch.19.108)	Washington Uniform Trade Secrets Act
West Virginia	Yes	W. VA. Code. §§ 47-22-1 et seq. (Ch.47, Ar.22)	West Virginia Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Wisconsin	Yes	Wis. Stat. Ann. 134.90 (Ch. 134.90)	Wisconsin Uniform Trade Secrets Act
Wyoming	Yes	Wyoming 40-24-101 (Title 40, Ch.24)	Wyoming Uniform Trade Secrets Act

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