U.S. TRADE SECRET PROTECTION BY STATE
UNIFORM TRADE SECRETS STATUTE/COMMON LAW/STATE STATUTES
R. Mark Halligan, Esq.
Copyright 1995-2005 R. Mark Halligan, Esq.
Unlike patents, copyrights and trademarks which have been historically
protected by national federal legislation, the protection of the intellectual
property rights in trade secrets has been protected under state law. However,
today, as the result of efforts by the National Conference of Commissioners on
Uniform State Laws and the intellectual property bar, 45 states (including the
District of Columbia) have enacted
statutes modeled after the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA).
Press here for the
official text and comments. Compare
the model UTSA to the Illinois UTSA.
Two states (Alabama and Massachusetts) have separate state statutes
protecting trade secrets.
Four states ( New Jersey, New York, Texas and Wyoming) protect trade secrets under
the common law.
The 45 states that have enacted statutes modeled after the UTSA are listed
below in alphabetical order:
Alaska 9/2/88 Alaska Statutes § 45.50.910 et.seq.
Arizona 4/11/90 Arizona R.S. § 44-401 et seq.
Arkansas 3/21/81 Ark. Stat. Ann. § 4-75-601 et seq.
California 1/1/85 Cal. Civ. Code § 3426 et seq.
Colorado 7/1/86 Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-74-101 et seq.
Connecticut 6/23/83 Conn. G.S. § 35-50 et seq. (Amended 1997 to
provide that "improper means" of obtaining a trade secret include
"searching through the trash")
Delaware 4/15/82 6 Del. C. § 2001 et seq. (Amended 1997)
D. of Columbia 3/16/89 D.C. Code § 48-501 et seq.
Florida 10/1/88 Fla. S. § 688.001 et seq.
Georgia 7/1/90 Ga. C.A. § 10-1-760 et seq.
Hawaii 7/1/89 Haw. R.S. § 482B-1 et seq.
Idaho 1981 Idaho C. § 48-801 et seq.
Illinois 1/1/88 765 ILCS § 1065/1 et seq.
Indiana 2/25/82 Ind. C. § 24-2-3-1 et seq.
Iowa 1990 90 Acts, ch 1201 Section 550.1 et.seq.
Kansas 7/1/81 K.S.A. § 60-3320 et seq.
Kentucky 4/6/90 Ky. R.S. § 365.880 et seq.
Louisiana 7/19/81 La. R.S.A. § 51:1431 et seq.
Maine 5/22/87 Me. R.S.A. § 1541 et seq.
Maryland 7/1/89 Md .Comm.L., § 11-1201 et seq.
Michigan 12/30/98, MCL 445.1901 et seq., MSA Sections 19.901 et seq.
Minnesota 1/1/81 M.S.A. § 325C.01 et seq.
Missouri 8/28/95 Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 417.450 et seq.
Mississippi 7/1/90 M.C.A. § 75-26-1 et seq.
Montana 1985 Mont. C.A .§ 30-14-401 et seq.
Nebraska 7/9/88 Neb. R.S. § 87-501 et seq.
Nevada 3/5/87 Nev. R.S.A. §600A.010 et seq.
New Hampshire 1/1/90 N.H. R.S.A. § 350-B:1 et seq.
New Mexico 4/3/89 N.M. S.A. § 57-3A-1 et seq.
N. Carolina 1981 N.C. G.S. § 66-152 et seq.
North Dakota 7/1/83 N.D. Cent. C. § 47-25.1-01 et seq.
Ohio 7/22/94 R.C. § 1333.61 et seq.
Oklahoma 1/1/86 Okl. S.A. tit. 78 § 85 et seq.
Oregon 1/1/86 OR. R.S. § 646.461 et seq.
Pennsylvania 4/19/2004 20 Pa. C.S.A.§§ 8101 to 8112
Rhode Island 7/1/86 R.I. G.L.A. § 6-41-1 et seq.
S. Carolina 6/15/92 S.C. C.A. § 39-8-1 et seq. (replaced 5/21/97
S.C. Code Ann. Section 39-8-10)
S. Dakota 7/1/88 S.D. Comp. L.A. § 37-29-1 et seq.
Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets Act, codified at T.C.A. §
47-25-1701-1709 (effective July 1, 2000)
Utah 5/1/89 Utah C.A. § 13-24-1et seq.
Vermont 7/1/96 Ch. 143 Section 4601 et. seq.
Virginia 7/1/86 Va. C.A. § 59.1-336 et seq.
Washington 1/1/82 Wash. R.C.A. § 19.108.010 et seq.
West Virginia 7/1/86 W. Va. C.A. § 47-22-1 et seq.
Wisconsin 4/24/86 Wis. S. § 134.90
The following states have Trade Secret statutes that are not modeled after
the Uniform Trade Secrets Act:
Alabama 8/12/87 Ala. Code § 8-27-1 et seq. (different statute derived
from the UTSA)
Massachusetts 1967 Mass. G.L.A. ch. 93 § 42 et seq. (considering UTSA but
Massachusetts has strong common law)
The following states protect trade secrets under the common law:
New Jersey [New Jersey stays in line with New York]
New York [under consideration by the New York legislature]
Texas [no cap on punitive damages]
Wyoming [relies on common law]
