Opinion ID: 2391841
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Interest of the Public.

Text: The court does not specifically address this criterion. However, this court has implicitly held in prior cases that the enforcement of reasonable covenants not to compete is in the best interest of the public. See generally Matlock v. Data Processing Sec., Inc., 618 S.W.2d at 329. See also Gafnea v. Pasquale Food Co., 454 So.2d at 1369 (it does not interfere with the public interest to allow limited covenants against competition between franchisors and franchisees); Shakey's Inc. v. Martin, 430 P.2d at 511 (courts must be guided by the overriding public interest in the preservation of the freedom of contract); Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 188 comment c (1979) (restraint may increase efficiency by encouraging the employer to entrust confidential information to the employee).