§ 688.002, Fla. Stat. · Chapter 688. UNIFORM TRADE SECRETS ACT
Definitions.
Text — 2026 Florida Statutes
As used in ss. 688.001-688.009, 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 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:
1. Used improper means to acquire knowledge of the trade secret; or
2. At the time of disclosure or use, knew or had reason to know that her or his 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
3. Before a material change of her or his 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) “Trade secret” means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process 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 efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
s. 2, ch. 88-254; s. 750, ch. 97-102.
Source of truth
- Edition
- 2026 Florida Statutes
- Official file
- https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0688/0688.html
- Text hash
- sha256 6183dfcdd716c77e8d844060cd677a98effd4380ffa4fa32095e1cce7b859153
- Composed by
- compose_v2.py 2026-10-04: the Legislature's structured HTML read in document order; verify_v2.py's independent reading agrees character for character
- composed from the Legislature's structured HTML (one source of text; no PDF extraction); a second, independent reading of the same bytes agrees character for character
BenchPath cards that rely on this text
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Cited by 27 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites § 688.002, Fla. Stat.. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
The Florida Statutes
- § 69.081, Fla. Stat.Sunshine in litigation; concealment of public hazards prohibited.Printed as s. 688.002
- § 73.0155, Fla. Stat.Confidentiality; business information provided to a governmental condemning authority.Printed as s. 688.002
- § 119.0713, Fla. Stat.Local government agency exemptions from inspection or copying of public records.Printed as s. 688.002
- § 119.0715, Fla. Stat.Trade secrets held by an agency.Printed as s. 688.002
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.