What legal remedies are available in the United States for trade secret misappropriation?

In the United States, trade secret misappropriation is governed by state and federal law, and remedies vary by state. In Arizona, under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, trade secret misappropriation is a civil wrong that can be remedied with either an injunction or an award for damages. An injunction is a court order prohibiting a particular act, such as the use or disclosure of a trade secret; such an order can be obtained quickly and is typically used to protect a trade secret from further use or disclosure. An award for damages is a monetary award given to an injured party and is typically used to compensate for losses due to trade secret misappropriation. In some cases, a court may also award punitive damages, which are designed to punish wrongful conduct and may be awarded if the misappropriation was willful or malicious. Additionally, under some state laws, a court may award attorneys’ fees to a successful party in a trade secret misappropriation case. In addition to available legal remedies, federal law also provides criminal penalties for the theft of trade secrets. In Arizona, the Economic Espionage Act has established severe criminal penalties, including fines and prison sentences, for those convicted of trade secret theft. Although criminal sanctions are rarely used, when they are, they can be a powerful deterrent to would-be trade secret violators.

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What legal remedies are available in the United States for trade secret misappropriation?

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