FI FTH DI VI SI ON

RI CKM A N, C. J.

, M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

M ar ch 4, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 60 3

. AM E RICAN PLUM BING PROFESSIONALS, INC. v

. SERVESTAR, LLC et al

.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

Am eri can Pl um

b i n g Pro fes s i on al s

, In c. (“ APP”) ap p eal s fro m th e t ri al co urt ’ s

o r d e r g ran t i ng s u m

m ary ju d g m en t to d efen d an t s Serv eSt ar, LLC an d fo rm er A P P

ch i ef o p erat i n g o ffi cer Aaro n M i l l er (co l l ect iv el y

, “ Serv eSt ar”) o n APP’ s cl ai m fo r

t o rt i o u s i n t erferen ce w i t h em pl o y m en t rel at io n s i n t hi s b us i n es s d i s p u te. On ap p eal

,

APP co n t en d s t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g Serv eSt ar s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n

t h i s cl ai m o n t h e b as i s t h at t h e g eo g rap h i c l im it at i o n s i n t wo i d en t i cal no n -co m p et e

co v en an t s are vag u e an d t h erefo re v o i d an d u n en fo rceab l e. In t h e al tern at i v e, A PP

arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d ecl i n i n g t o m o d i fy t he t erm s o f t h e no n -co m p et e

co v en an t s p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (d ). Fo r t h e fo l l o wi n g reas o n s

, w e v acat e t h et ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f s um m ary ju dg m en t o n th e cl ai m at i s s u e h ere an d rem an d t h e

cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt fo r fu rt her co n s i d erat i o n.

Th e reco rd sh o w s t h at APP fi l ed a co m p l ai nt fo r i n

j u n ct iv e rel ief an d d am ag es

aga inst S e r

ve St ar an d s ev eral fo rm er APP em p l o y ees

, wh ich i t s ub s eq u en t l y am en d ed

s ev eral t im es

. As rel ev an t h ere, APP al l eg ed t h at Serv e S t ar i n du ced fo rm er A PP

em pl o y ees t o v i o l at e t hei r em p l o y m en t ag reem en t s wi t h APP.

Al l o f t h e d efen d an t s fi led a m o t io n fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t i n M ay 2 0 1 8

. In

J u n e 2 0 2 0

, Serv eSt ar fi l ed a s u p p l e m en tal m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. In an

Oct o b er 2 0 2 0 o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed s u m m ary ju dg m en t t o Serv eSt ar o n APP’ s

cl ai m s fo r t o rt i o u s i n t erferen ce wi t h em p lo y m en t rel at i o ns a n d b reach o f fi d u ci ary

d u t y

, b ut d en i ed su m

m ary ju d g m en t t o S erv eSt ar o n al l rem ai n i n g cl ai m s

. 1 W i th

res p ect t o t h e t o rt io u s i n t erferen c e w i t h em p l o y m en t rel at i o n s cl ai m

, t h e t ri al co u rt

ex p lai n ed t h at Serv eSt ar can n o t b e l i ab le o n t h e cl ai m i f t h e n o n -co m p et e ag reem en t s

i n APP’ s em

p l o y m en t ag reem en t s are u n en fo rceab l e. Th e t ri al co u rt s tat ed :

In [a p ri o r o rd er dat ed ] J an u ary 9

, 2 0 1 9

. . . , t h e Co urt al read y

fo u n d t h at m os t o f t h e n o n -co m p et e ag reem en ts at i s s u e co nt ai n ed v ag ue

g eo g r a p h i c l i m i t at i o ns

, an d t h u s were v o i d an d u n en fo rceab le.

. . .

1 Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er n o t es t h at APP v ol u n t ari l y d i s m i ss ed al l cl ai m s ag ai n s t

t h e rem ai n i n g d efen d an t s

.

2Ho wev er, t h e Co u rt d i d n o t reach t h e i s s ue wh et h er fo rm er APP

em p l o y ees [Zy las ] Ham i l t o n an d [Ch ri s t i an ] E dm o ndson’ s non -co m pet e

ag reem en t s w e r e en fo rceab l e b ecau se t h ey n o l o n g er wo rk ed fo r

Serv eSt ar.

Th e Co u rt no w fi n d s Ham i l t o n an d Ed m o nd s on ’ s em p l o y m en t

ag reem en t s u n en fo rceab l e an d d e c l i n es A PP’ s req u es t to m o d i fy th em

u n d er OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (d ). Th e res t ri ct i ve co v en an ts i n t h o s e co n t ract s

s u ffer fro m s i m il ar d efect s as t he o t h er n o n -co m pet e c o v e n a n t s i n th e

co n t ract s fo u n d u n en fo rceab l e i n t h e J an u ary 9, 2 01 9 Ord er. Ham i l t o n ’ s

n o n -co m p et e ag reem en t d efi n es t he g eo grap h i c res t ri ct i o n a s “ th e

t erri to ry wh ere Em

p l oy ee p ro v id ed s erv i ces o n b eh al f o f [APP] du ri n g

t h e l as t t wel v e m o n th s o f h i s o r h er em p lo y m en t ,” wh i ch ex t en d ed

“ t h ro u g h o u t th o s e p art s o f t h e Un i t ed St at es o f A m eri ca wh ere [APP]

t ran s act s bu s i n es s

. . . . Ed m o n d s o n ’ s n o n -co m pet e ag reem en t u s es th e

s am e l an g u ag e i n i t s g eo g rap h i c res t ri ct io n.

Th u s

, t he res t ri ct iv e co v en an t s i n t h e fo rm er APP em p l o y ees ’

em p l o y m en t co n t ract s are u n en fo rceab l e.

Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t is p ro p er wh en t h ere i s n o gen u i n e i s s u e o f m at eri al fact

an d t h e m o v an t i s en t i t l ed t o j ud g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. Ci t y of S t

. Ma r

ys v. Reed

,

3 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. 5 0 8

, 5 0 8 (8 1 6 SE2 d 4 7 1 ) (2 0 1 8 ); see OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). W e rev i ew

a g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t d e n o v o

. Ci ty o f S t . Ma r ys , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p. at 5 0 8

.

3APP co n ten d s th at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g Serv eSt ar s u m m ary

ju d g m en t o n t h e t o rt i o u s i nt erferen ce wi t h em p l o y m en t rel at i o n s cl ai m

o n t h e b as i s

t h at t h e g eo grap h i c l i m i t at i on s i n t h e n o n -co m p et e co v en an t s f

o r fo rm er A PP

em pl o y ees Ham i l to n an d Ed m o n d s o n are v ag u e an d t h erefo re vo i d an d

u n en fo rceab l e. 2 W e ag ree.

If t h e n o n-co m

p et e co v en an t s at is s u e on ap p eal are u n en fo rceab le, Serv eSt ar

can n ot b e h el d l i ab l e fo r i n terferi n g wi t h t h em

. See La p o l l a In d u s

. v. Hes s

, 3 2 5 Ga.

Ap p

. 2 56

, 2 6 4 (2 ) (7 5 0 SE2 d 4 67 ) (2 0 1 3) (cl ai m fo r t o rt i o u s i n t e r f e r e nce wi th

em pl o y m en t ag reem en t s can n o t b e b as ed on u nen fo rceab l e no n -co m p et e co v en an t s ).

Th e co v en an t s at i s su e o n ap peal were en tered i n t o i n 2 01 8

, s o th ey are g ov ern ed by

Geo rg i a’ s Res t ri ct i v e Co v en an ts Act (“ RCA”), OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 0 et s eq

. See Ken n ed y

v. S h a ve Ba r b er Co

. , LLC

, 34 8 Ga. Ap p

. 2 9 8

, 30 1 ( 8 2 2 SE2 d 6 0 6 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (n o n

co m p et e co v en an t s en t ered i n t o aft er M ay 11

, 2 0 1 1

, are g o vern ed b y t h e RCA). Th e

R C A r e q u i res co u rt s t o co n s t ru e a res t ri ct iv e co v en an t “ t o co m p o rt wi t h t h e

2 O n ap p eal

, APP d o es n o t ch al l en g e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l in g t h at t h e n o n

co m p et e co v en an t s fo r the othe r e m p loy e e s a r e u nen fo rceab l e. APP s p eci fi cal l y l i m i t s

i t s ap peal t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at i o n t h at t h e g eo grap h i c li m i tat i o n s in t h e n o n

co m p e t e p ro v i s i o n s o f t h e em p l o y m en t ag reem en t s fo r Ham i l t o n an d Ed m o n d so n

“ were faci al l y v o i d an d u nen fo rceab l e[,] ” n o ti n g t h at “ [t ] h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru li n g d i d n ot

d et erm i n e t h at t h e n o n -co m pet e co v en an t s were v oi d o r u n en fo rceab le fo r an y o t h er

reas on .”

4r eas o n ab l e i nt en t an d ex pect at i o n s o f t h e p art i es t o t h e co ven an t an d i n f a v o r o f

p ro v id i n g reas on ab l e p ro t ect i o n t o al l l eg i t i m at e bu s in es s i n t eres t s es t ab l i s h ed b y t h e

p ers o n s eek i n g en fo r cem en t .” OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 4 (a). Pu rs u an t t o t h e RCA,

“ e n fo rcem en t o f co n t ract s t h at res t ri ct co m p et i t i o n d u ri n g t h e t erm o f a res t ri c t i v e

co v en an t

, s o l o n g as s u ch res t ri ct i o ns are reas o n a b l e i n t i m e, geo g rap h i c area, an d

s co p e o f p ro h ib it ed act i v i t i es , s h al l b e p erm i t t ed .” OCGA § 1 3-8 -5 3 (a).

W i t h res p ect t o g eo g rap hi c area, t h e RCA sp eci fi cal l y s t at es t h at a geo g rap h i c

res t ri ct i o n i s p res um ed t o be reas on ab l e i f (a) i t “ i n cl u d es t h e areas i n wh i ch t h e

em pl o y er d o es b us i nes s at an y t i m e d u ri n g t h e p art i es ’ rel at i o n sh i p

, ev en i f n o t k n o wn

at t h e t i m e o f en t ry i n t o th e res t ri ct i ve co v en an t ,” an d ( b ) “ [ t ]h e to t al d i s t an ce

en co m p as s ed b y t h e pro vi s io ns o f t h e co v en an t al s o i s reas o n ab l e[.] ” OCGA § 1 3 -8

-

5 6 (2 ) (A).

Th e RCA al s o p ro v i d es t h e fo l l o wi n g g u i d an ce reg ard i ng t h e l an g u ag e t h at i s

n eces s ary fo r g eo g rap hi c l i m i t at i o n s in no n -co m p et e co v en an t s : “ [t ] h e p h r a s e ‘ t h e

t erri t ory wh ere t he em

p l oy ee i s w o rk i ng at t h e t im e o f t erm in at i o n ’ o r s i m i l ar

l an g u ag e s h al l b e co ns i d ered s u ffi ci en t as a des cri p t i o n o f g eo g rap hi c areas i f t h e

p ers o n o r en t i ty b o u n d b y t he res t rai n t can reas o n ab l y d et erm i n e t h e m a x i m u m

reas on ab l e s co p e o f t h e res t rai n t at t h e t im e o f t erm i n at i o n .” OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c) (2 ).

5Fu rt h erm o re, “ [w] h en ev er a des cri p ti o n of

. . . g eo g rap h i c areas [] i s req u i red b y t h i s

Co d e s ect i o n

, an y d es c r i p t i o n t h at p ro v i des fai r n o t i ce o f t h e m ax i m u m reas o n ab l e

s co p e o f t h e res t rai nt s h al l s at i s fy s u ch req u i rem en t

, e v e n i f t h e d es cri p t i o n i s

g en eral i zed o r co ul d p o ss i b l y b e s t at ed m o re n arro wl y [.] ” OCGA 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c) (1 ).

Here, th e g eo g rap h i c res t ri ct i o n i n th e n o n -co m p et e co v en an t s fo r b o th

Ham i l to n an d Ed m on d s o n p ro v i d es :

Fo r p u rp o s es o f t h i s Sect i o n

, t h e t erm “ Res tri ct ed Terri to ry ” s h al l m ean

t h e terri t o ry wh ere E m

p l o y e e p ro vi d ed s erv i ces o n b eh al f o f [APP]

d u ri ng [t h e] l as t t wel v e m o n t h s o f h i s o r h er em p l o y m en t wh i ch

, i n l i g h t

o f t h e co m

p an y -wi de nat u re o f t h e Co n fi d en ti al In fo rm at i o n a n d

busin es s rel at i o n s hi p s d ev el o p ed an d m ai n t ai n ed b y E m pl o y e e on be ha lf

o f [APP]

, Em

p l o y ee ack n o wl ed g es t o ex t en d t h ro u g h o u t t h o s e p art s o f

t h e Un i t ed St at es o f Am eri ca wh ere [APP] t ran s act s b u s i n es s

.

In t he o rd er at i s su e h ere, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t h es e res t ri ct i v e co ven an t s “ s u ffer

fro m s i m i l ar d efect s as ” o t h er n o n -co m p et e co v en an t s th at t h e t ri al co u rt h ad

p rev i o u s l y fo u n d “ co n tai n e d v ag ue g eo g rap hi c l i m i t at i o n s

, an d t h u s w ere vo i d an d

u n en fo rceab l e.” Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t o t h erwi s e ex p l ai n wh y i t fo u nd t h e geo g rap h i c

res t ri ct i o n i n t he n o n -co m p et e co v en an ts fo r H am il t o n an d Ed m o n d s on t o be v ag u e

o r ot h erwi s e d efect iv e, an d d id n o t i n d i cat e t h a t i t h ad co n s i d ered w h et h er t h e

d es c r i p t i o n o f th e geo g rap h i c li m i t at i o n co m p l i ed wi th OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c). In i t s

6p rev i o u s o rd er fi n d in g o t h er n o n -co m p et e p ro v is i on s u nen fo rceab l e i n t h i s cas e, t h e

t r i a l c o urt rel i ed o n Ko g er P r o p er t i es v. Ad

a ms -Ca tes Co

. , 2 4 7 Ga. 6 8

, 68 (1 ) (2 7 4

S E2 d 3 2 9 ) (1 9 8 1 ), i n wh i ch t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a h el d t h at “ a t erri t o ri a l

res t ri ct i o n wh i ch can n o t b e d et erm i n ed u nt i l t h e d at e o f t he em p l o y ee’ s t erm i n at i o n

i s to o i nd efi n i t e t o b e en fo rced .” Ho wev er, Ko g er Pr o p e r t i es p red at ed t he RCA,

wh i ch ex p res sl y s t at es t h at a d es cri p t i on o f a g eo g rap h i c area u si n g “ [t ] h e p h ras e ‘ t h e

t erri t ory wh ere t he em

p l oy ee i s w o rk i ng at t h e t im e o f t e rm i n at i on ’ o r s i m i l ar

l an g u ag e” i s s u ffi ci en t “ i f t he p ers o n o r en t i t y b o u n d b y t he res t rai n t can reas o n ab l y

d et erm i n e t h e m ax i m

um reas on ab l e s co p e o f t h e res t rai n t at t h e t i me of t er mi n a t i o n .”

OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c) (2 ) (em p h as i s s up p l i ed ). Th u s

, u n d er t h e RCA, a geo g rap h i c

res t ri ct i o n m ay b e en fo rceab l e ev en i f i t s m a x i m u m reas o n ab l e s co p e can n o t b e

d et erm i n ed u nt i l t h e d at e o f t h e em p l o y ee’ s t erm in at i o n

.

AP P a r g u e s t h at th e g eo g rap h i c res t ri ct i on i n t h e Ham i l t o n an d Ed m o n d so n

n o n -co m p et e ag reem en t s i s val i d an d en fo rceab l e u nd er t h e RC A. APP ci t es

Hea rt l a nd Pa

ymen t S ys t ems

, LLC v. S t o ckwel l

, 4 4 6 FSu p p.3 d 1 27 5

, 1 2 8 3 (III) (D)

(2 ) (N.D. Ga. 2 0 2 0), i n wh i ch t h e c o u r t

, ap p l y in g t h e RCA, u p h el d a no n -co m p et e

co v en an t co n t ai n i n g t h e fo ll o w i n g g eo g rap hi c res t ri ct i o n : “ i n t h e g eo g rap h i c area in

wh i ch t h e Co m

p an y co n d u ct s b u s i n es s [.] ” In S t o ckwel l

, t he em p l o y er was a Geo rg i a7b as ed p ro v id er o f p ay m en t -p ro ces s i n g tech n o l og y s erv i ces an d p ro d u ct s t h ro u g h o ut

t h e Un i t ed St at es

. Id

. at 12 7 9 (II) (A). Th e em pl o y er s o u g h t en fo rc e m e n t o f t h e

co v e n an t o n l y i n O k lah o m a an d Tex as

, wh i ch t h e co u rt co n cl u d ed was reas o n ab l e

“ g i ven t h at [t h e em

p l o y ee] wo rk ed fo r [t h e em p l o y er] w ith na tionw ide r e sponsibilitie s

an d i s n o w wo rk in g fo r [a co m p et i t or] i n t h os e s t at es

. ” Id

. at 1 2 84 (III) (D) (2 ). Ci t i n g

OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c) (1 ), t h e co u rt fo u n d t h at t h e em p l oy ee “ h ad f

a i r n o t i c e o f t h e

m ax i m u m

. . . t erri to ry

. . . res t ri ct i o n [] en co m p as s ed b y t h e n o n-co m

p et i t i o n

co v en an t ” b ecau s e i t was s et fo rt h i n t h e em p l o y m en t ag reem en t . Id

.

Serv eSt ar co n t en d s t h at th e “ res t ri ct i o n at i ss u e in t h i s cas e i s n o t at al l l i k e t h e

o n e at is s u e” i n S t o ckwel l

, wh ich Serv eSt ar ch aract eri zes as “ cl ear,” b u t “ is m o re l i k e

t h e o n e at i s s u e” i n Ca r

p et Ca r e Mu l ti s er vi ces

, LLC v. Ca rl e

, 34 7 G a. Ap p

. 4 9 7 (8 1 9

SE2 d 8 9 4 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (p h y s i cal p reced en t on l y ). Ho wev er, i n Ca rpe tC are

, this C o ur

t h el d

t h at t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y d et erm i n ed t h at a no n -co m p et e co v en an t fai l ed t o co m p l y

wi t h OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (a) b ecau s e i t “ d id n o t co n t ai n an y referen ce t o a geo g rap h i c

area l im i t at io n.” Ca r

p et Ca r e

, 3 4 7 G a. Ap p

. at 50 0

. Here, H am il t on ’ s an d

Ed m o n d s o n ’ s em

p lo y m en t ag reem en t s co n t ai n a g eo g rap h i c res t ri ct i o n

. Th u s

,

Serv eSt ar’ s co nt en t i on t h at t h e g eo g rap h ic res t ri ct i o n in t h i s cas e is s im i l ar to t h e o n e

at i ss u e i n Ca r

pet Ca re h as n o m eri t

.

8Serv eSt ar a l s o co nt en d s t h at t h e l an gu ag e o f th e g eo g rap h i c res t ri ct i o n i s v ag u e

b ecau s e t h e term “ t erri to ry ” co u l d m ean a n ei g h bo rh o o d

, a ci t y

, a co u n ty

, a s t at e, o r

s o m e o t h er g eo g rap h ic reg i on l i k e th e s o u t h eas t ern Un i t ed St at es

. In ad d i t i o n,

Serv eSt ar arg u es th at t h e s co p e o f g eo g rap h i c l im it at i o n co u l d m ean (a) an y t erri t o ry

wh ere t h e em

p l o y ee p ro v i d ed s erv i ces o n b eh al f o f APP; (b ) an y t erri t ory wh ere A PP

t ran s act s b u s i n es s

, wh et h er th e em p l oy ee p ro v i d ed s erv i ces t here o r n o t ; o r (c) a

t erri t ory wh ere b ot h t he em p lo y ee p ro v i d ed s erv i ces an d APP do es b u s i n es s

. In

res p o n s e, APP arg u es t hat t he n o n -co m p et e ag reem en t s f

or H a m i l t o n an d Ed m o n d so n

are si m il ar t o t h e co v en an t in S t o ckwel l i n th at t h ey “ co v ered t h e t erri t o ry wh ere t h e

co m p an y d i d b u s i nes s an d wh ere t h e em p lo y ee p ro v i d ed s erv i ces [.] ”

Co n st ru i n g t h e res t ri ct i v e co ven an t s

, as we m u s t

, “ t o co m

po rt w i t h t h e

reas on a b l e i n t e n t an d ex p ect at i o n s o f t h e part i es t o th e co ven an t an d in fav o r o f

p ro v id i n g reas o nab l e p ro t ect i o n t o al l l eg i t i m at e bu s in es s i n t eres t s es t ab l i s h ed b y t h e

p ers o n s eek in g en fo rcem en t [,] ” we fi n d t h at t h e lan g u ag e o f Ham i l t o n ’s a n d

E dm o ndson’ s non- c om

pe te c ove na

nts suf f i ci en t l y d es c r ibe s the ge ogr a phic r e str ic tion

b ecau s e i t co m

p l i es wi th OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c). OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 4 (a). Th e ph ras e “ t h e

t erri t ory wh ere Em

p l o y ee p ro v i d ed s erv i ces o n b eh al f o f [APP] d u ri n g [ t h e] las t

t wel v e m o n t h s o f h i s o r h er e m p l o ym e n t ” is si m i lar t o t h e l an g uag e s an ct io n ed by

9OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c) (2 ), “ t h e t erri t o ry wh ere t h e em p l o y ee i s wo rk i n g at t h e t i m e o f

t erm i n at i o n [.] ” Fu rt h erm o re, t h e l an g uag e “ wh i ch

. . . Em p l o y ee ack n o w l ed g es to

ex t en d t h ro u gh o u t t h o s e p art s o f t h e Un i t ed St at es of Am eri ca wh ere [APP] t ran s act s

b u s i n es s ” d es cri bes t h e ex t en t o f “ t h e t erri t ory wh ere Em p lo y ee p ro v i d ed s erv i ces o n

b eh al f o f t h e [APP] ” an d al l ows t h e em p l o y ee t o “ reas o nab l y d et erm i n e th e m ax i m u m

reas on ab l e s co p e o f t h e res t rai n t at th e ti m e o f t erm i n at io n .” See OCGA § 13 -8 -5 3 (c)

(2 ). Al t h o u g h th e d es cri p t i o n “ i s g en eral i zed o r co u l d p o s s i b ly b e s tat ed m o re

n arro wl y [,] ” th e d es cri p t i o n sat i s fi es t h e s t at ut o ry req ui rem en t b ecau s e i t “ p ro v i d es

fai r n ot i ce o f t he m ax i m

u m reas o n ab l e s co p e o f t h e res t rai n t [.] ” OCGA 1 3 -8 -5 3 (c)

(1 ); s ee S t o ckwel l

, 4 46 FS u p p .3 d at 1 2 8 4 (III) (D) (2 ) (fo rm er em p l oy ee h ad “ fai r

n o t i ce” o f res t ri ct io n s s et fo rt h i n em p l o y m en t ag reem en t). Co n s eq u en t l y

, t h e t ri al

co u rt erred i n d et erm in in g t h at Ham i l t o n ’ s an d E d m o n d s o n ’ s n o n -co m p et e co v en an t s

are u n en fo rceab le o n t h e b as is t h at t h ey co n t ai n v ag u e g eo g rap h i c l i m i t at i o n s

. 3

O n ap p eal

, APP d o es n o t ad d res s wh et h er t h e g eo g rap hi c res t ri ct i o n i s

reas on ab l e o r wh et her th e n o n -co m p et e co v en an t s fo r Ham i l to n an d Ed m o n d s o n are

3 In l i g h t o f o u r co n cl u si o n t h at t h e n o n-co m p et e co v en an t s fo r Ham i l t o n an d

Ed m o n d s o n su ffi ci en t ly des cri b e t he g eo g rap h i c res t ri ct i o n

, w e n e ed n ot ad d res s

APP’ s arg u m en t t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred b y d ecl i n i n g to m o d i fy t h e t erm s o f t h e n o n

co m p et e co v en an t s p u rs uan t t o OCGA § 1 3 -8 -5 3 (d ).

10o t h erwi s e en fo r ceab l e u n d er th e RCA. N o r d o es ei t h er p art y ad d res s o n ap p eal

wh et h er Serv eSt ar i s en t i tl ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t on APP’ s t ort i ou s in t erferen ce

wi t h em p l o y m en t rel at i o n s cl ai m ev en i f t h e n o n -co m p et e co v en an t s at i s s u e h ere are

en fo rceab l e. Co ns eq u en t l y

, we v acat e t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m e n t t o Serv eSt ar

o n APP’ s cl ai m fo r t o rt i ou s i nt erferen ce wi th em p l o y m en t rel at i o n s an d rem an d t h e

cas e t o t he t ri al co u rt fo r fu rt h er co n si d erat i o n o f wh et h er Serv eSt ar i s en t i t l ed to

s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n t h i s cl ai m fo r o t h er reas on s

. See Ci t y o f Ga i n es vi l l e v. Do d

d

,

2 7 5 Ga. 8 3 4

, 8 3 9 (5 7 3 SE2 d 3 6 9 ) (2 0 0 2 ) (ap p el l at e co urt m ay d ecl i n e t o ap p l y t h e

ri gh t -fo r-an y -reas o n r u l e wh ere l eg al t h eo ri es no t ad d res s ed b y t h e tri al co u rt were

n o t p ro p erl y b ri efed b y

al l p art i es o n ap p eal ).

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e rema n d ed wi t h d i r ect i o n

. Ri ckma n

, C. J., a n d

McFa d den , P. J., co n cu r

.

11