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Last Modified:  2011-08-04
Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 47-25-1701 through 47-25-1709
47-25-1701. Short title.
This part shall be known and may be cited as "The Uniform T rade Secrets Act."
47-25-1702. Definitions.
As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise:  
(1) "Improper means" includes theft, bribery , misrepresentation, breach or inducement of a breach of a duty to maintain secrecy or limit
use, or espionage through electronic or other means;  
(2) "Misappropriation" means:  
(A) Acquisition of a trade secret of another by a person who knows or has reason to know that the trade secret was acquired by improper
means; or  
(B) Disclosure or use of a trade secret of another without express or implied consent by a person who:  
(i) Used improper means to acquire knowledge of the trade secret; or  
(ii) At the time of disclosure or use, knew or had reason to know that that person's knowledge of the trade secret was:  
(a) Derived from or through a person who had utilized improper means to acquire it;  
(b) Acquired under circumstances giving rise to a duty to maintain its secrecy or limit its use; or  
(c) Derived from or through a person who owed a duty to the person seeking relief to maintain its secrecy or limit its use; or  
(iii) Before a material change of his or her position, knew or had reason to know that it was a trade secret and that knowledge of it had
been acquired by accident or mistake;  
(3) "Person" means a natural person, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, joint venture, government,
governmental subdivision or agency , or any other legal or commercial entity;  
(4) "T rade secret" means information, without regard to form, including, but not limited to, technical, nontechnical or financial data, a
formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, process, or plan that:  
(A) 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  
(B) Is the subject of ef forts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy .
47-25-1703. Injunctive relief.
(a) Actual or threatened misappropriation may be enjoined. Upon application to the court an injunction shall be terminated when the trade
secret has ceased to exist, but the injunction may be continued for an additional reasonable period of time in appropriate circumstances for
reasons including, but not limited to, an elimination of the commercial advantage that otherwise would be derived from the
misappropriation, deterrence of willful and malicious misappropriation, or where the trade secret ceases to exist due to the fault of the
enjoined party or others by improper means.  
(b) In exceptional circumstances, an injunction may condition future use upon payment of a reasonable royalty for no longer than the
period of time for which use could have been prohibited. Exceptional circumstances include, but are not limited to, a material and
prejudicial change of position prior to acquiring knowledge or reason to know of misappropriation that renders a prohibitive injunction
inequitable.  
(c) In appropriate circumstances, af firmative acts to provide a trade secret may be compelled by court order .Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets ActAbout Recently Filed Cases Recent Decisions Legislative Developments Statutes Search
47-25-1704. Damages.
(a) In addition to or in lieu of the relief provided by § 47-25-1703, a complainant is entitled to recover damages for misappropriation except
to the extent that defendant can show a material and prejudicial change of position prior to acquiring knowledge or reason to know of
misappropriation and such renders a monetary recovery inequitable. Damages can include both the actual loss caused by misappropriation
and the unjust enrichment caused by misappropriation that is not taken into account in computing actual loss. In lieu of damages measured
by any other methods, the damages caused by misappropriation may be measured by imposition of liability for a reasonable royalty for a
misappropriator's unauthorized disclosure or use of a trade secret.  
(b) If willful and malicious misappropriation exists, the court may award exemplary damages in an amount not exceeding twice any award
made under subsection (a).
47-25-1705. Attorney's fees.
If: 
(1) A claim of misappropriation is made in bad faith,  
(2) A motion to terminate an injunction is made or resisted in bad faith, or  
(3) Willful and malicious misappropriation exists,  
the court may award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party .
47-25-1706. Preservation of secrecy .
In an action under this part, a court shall preserve the secrecy of an alleged trade secret by reasonable means, which may include granting
protective orders in connection with discovery proceedings, holding in-camera hearings, sealing the records of the action, and ordering any
person involved in the litigation not to disclose an alleged trade secret without prior court approval.
47-25-1707. Statute of limitations.
An action for misappropriation must be brought within three (3) years after the misappropriation is discovered or , by the exercise of
reasonable diligence, should have been discovered. For the purposes of this section, a continuing misappropriation by any person
constitutes a single claim against that person, but this section shall be applied separately to any claim against each other person who
receives a trade secret from another person who misappropriated that trade secret.
47-25-1708. Effect on other law .
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), this part displaces conflicting tort, restitutionary , and other law of this state providing civil remedies
for misappropriation of a trade secret.  
(b) This part does not af fect: 
(1) Contractual remedies, whether or not based upon misappropriation of a trade secret; provided, a contractual duty to maintain secrecy
or limit use of a trade secret shall not be deemed to be void or unenforceable solely for lack of durational or geographical limitation on the
duty;  
(2) Other civil remedies that are not based upon misappropriation of a trade secret; or  
(3) Criminal remedies, whether or not based upon misappropriation of a trade secret.  
(c) In no event shall a written contract be required to maintain an action or recover damages for misappropriation of a trade secret proven
under this part.
47-25-1709. Uniformity of application and construction.
This part shall be applied and construed to ef fectuate its general purpose to make consistent the law with respect to the subject of this act
among states enacting it.
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