United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 5233 (113th)
Trade Secrets Protection Act of 2014
Introduced
29 July 2014
Last action
—
Status
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 494.
Sponsors
—
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
7 April 2025
Summary
Trade Secrets Protection Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code to authorize an owner of a trade secret related to a product or service used in interstate or foreign commerce, who is aggrieved by a misappropriation of such trade secret, to bring a civil action to obtain appropriate relief. Grants U.S. district courts original jurisdiction of such actions, subject to a five-year statute of limitations beginning when the misappropriation is or should have been discovered. Authorizes the court, upon ex parte application, to issue an order providing for the seizure of property necessary to preserve evidence in such civil action or to prevent the propagation or dissemination of the trade secret, if it finds that: a temporary restraining order would be inadequate because the restrained party would evade or otherwise not comply with it; immediate and irreparable injury will occur if such seizure is not ordered; the harm to the applicant of denying the application outweighs the harm to the legitimate interests of the person against whom seizure would be ordered and the harm to any third parties who may be harmed by such seizure; the applicant is likely to succeed in showing that the person against whom seizure would be ordered misappropriated, and is in possession of, the trade secret; the application reasonably describes the matter to be seized and its location; the person against whom seizure would be ordered would destroy or otherwise make such matter inaccessible to the court if the applicant were to proceed on notice to such person; and the applicant has not publicized the requested seizure. Sets forth required elements of such an order, including providing for: (1) seizure in a manner that minimizes any interruption of the business operations of third parties; and (2) protection of the property from disclosure. Directs the court to take seized material into its custody. Grants a person who suffers damage by reason of a wrongful or excessive seizure under this Act a cause of action against the applicant for the order and entitles such person to appropriate relief. Sets forth remedies that a court may grant for such misappropriation, including granting injunctive relief, awarding damages for losses or unjust enrichment caused, and awarding exemplary damages and attorney fees for willful and malicious misappropriation.
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Versions
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Documents
6 official files
Reported in House (text)
Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN · 11 December 2014
Reported in House (PDF)
Reported in House · EN · 11 December 2014
Reported to House with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 11 December 2014
Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 29 July 2014
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 29 July 2014
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 29 July 2014
Sponsors
No sponsors or actors listed by the source.
Related records
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Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/5233
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/113/hr/5233