What if...

[Danieljanse]

What is the name of your state? Montana

Theoretically...
If someone sent me the formula to Coca Cola and I sent it to Pepsi would I have any legal exposure?
If someone sent my a formula that did not have a patent or copyright would I have any exposure?

Let's call this the Soup Nazi scenario...could Elaine have been sued?

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state? Montana

Theoretically...
If someone sent me the formula to Coca Cola and I sent it to Pepsi would I have any legal exposure?
If someone sent my a formula that did not have a patent or copyright would I have any exposure?

Let's call this the Soup Nazi scenario...could Elaine have been sued?

Is there a ligit reason you are asking this ...or is it for laughs and giggles?

 

[Danieljanse]

I do have a legit reason but I'd rather not go into specifics.

 

[Just Blue]

I do have a legit reason but I'd rather not go into specifics.

Then you should take it to an attorney.

 

[Danieljanse]

The legit reason is that I bet someone about the Elaine situation.
I think a lawyer would laugh me out of his office.

 

[cbg]

We are not here to answer hypotheticals.

 

[Danieljanse]

So if I have a legit reason I need to go to an attorney and if it's just a hypothetical I'm wasting your time. What a worthless forum.

 

[Shadowbunny]

So if I have a legit reason I need to go to an attorney and if it's just a hypothetical I'm wasting your time. What a worthless forum.

No, child, that's not what Blue meant. Plenty of people come here with real issues and get real help. However, since you stated this was "theoretical" in your first post, but then wanted to pretend it was real, Blue gave you the advice to take it to an attorney. Because the volunteers (including attorneys) on this site don't need to entertain your foolishness, nor your attitude.

 

[Just Blue]

So if I have a legit reason I need to go to an attorney and if it's just a hypothetical I'm wasting your time. What a worthless forum.

Goodness. A bet regarding a t.v. show is not a legit reason. Yes. Pay an attorney to answer the question or..GASP!...look up the law yourself.

 

[Taxing Matters]

What is the name of your state? Montana

Theoretically...
If someone sent me the formula to Coca Cola and I sent it to Pepsi would I have any legal exposure?
If someone sent my a formula that did not have a patent or copyright would I have any exposure?

Potentially you would. A lot would depend on the details of what it was that were sent, how you got it, and what rights the person who gave it to you had. There is no simple yes or no for this. If you were ever actually in this situation you would want to run to an intellectual property lawyer for advice before you did anything with what you had.

Note that even if it turned out you had good defense to a claim by the creator of the formula involved, the cost to defend it alone might break you. Imagine what it would cost in litigation if Coca-Cola went after you loaded for bear putting in every legal resource at its disposal.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state? Montana

Theoretically...
If someone sent me the formula to Coca Cola and I sent it to Pepsi would I have any legal exposure?
If someone sent my a formula that did not have a patent or copyright would I have any exposure?

Let's call this the Soup Nazi scenario...could Elaine have been sued?

Your question involves trade secret laws and (potentially) patent laws.

You (and Elaine with the soup recipe) could be criminally charged and sued for passing onto Pepsi the Coke formula. Your Pepsi/Coke example actually happened not too long ago.

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to a 2006 story on the theft of Coke secrets and the attempted sale of these secrets to Pepsi: https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxnews.com/story/2006/07/06/pepsi-alerted-coca-cola-to-stolen-coke-secrets-offer.amp.html

And here is a link to a story on the sentencing of the brainiacs who thought stealing trade secrets was a good idea: http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/05/23/coca.cola.sentencing/