Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1435

  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • 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. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1431
  • 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. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1431

In an action under this Chapter, 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.  

Added by Acts 1981, No. 462, §1.