A Tennessee federal judge refused to grant summary judgment to either Upperline Healthcare or a podiatrist in their contract fight over restrictive covenants.
The court found factual disputes over whether Upperline had legitimate business interests strong enough to support the non-compete and non-solicitation terms.
Judges also said the record is unsettled on whether the podiatrist's new practice and hiring of former Upperline employees breached those provisions, and whether any damages flowed from the alleged violations.
The ruling keeps the case alive for further proceedings rather than resolving the enforceability and breach claims as a matter of law.