Legal Definitions - surreptitious

Surreptitious describes actions that are performed secretly, often without authorization, and typically with the intent to deceive or gain an unfair advantage. It implies a hidden or stealthy manner, where the person performing the action wishes to avoid detection.

Here are some examples illustrating the term:

• Imagine a scenario where a rival company's employee surreptitiously accesses a competitor's private server during a joint industry event. They use a hidden device to download sensitive marketing strategies without anyone's knowledge or permission.

  This action is surreptitious because it was done in secret (hidden device, no one's knowledge), without authorization, and with the clear intent to gain a competitive advantage through deception.

• Consider a situation where a disgruntled former employee surreptitiously plants a listening device in the CEO's office before leaving the company, hoping to gather confidential information about future business dealings.

  This act is surreptitious as the device was placed secretly, without permission, and with the deceptive aim of eavesdropping on private conversations.

• A homeowner might discover that their neighbor has been surreptitiously diverting a portion of their shared water supply for years by installing an unauthorized, hidden pipe connection underground.

  This is a surreptitious act because the neighbor secretly installed the pipe without consent, thereby deceptively taking water that was not theirs and avoiding detection for a long period.