Court Opinion

ID: 9845891
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:30:24.552356+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:25.078767
License: Public Domain

Undercofler, Presiding Justice,
concurring specially.
I would not apply the "blue-pencil” to any covenant not to compete. The covenant should be so precise that it can be determined from the contract itself whether it is in restraint of trade. Under this decision and Jenkins v. Jenkins Irrigation, Inc., 244 Ga. 95 (1979), the courts not only may entertain parol evidence to edit negative covenants in business sales contracts, but also determine whether the contract is one of employment or business sale. These decisions do violence to the parol evidence rule, encourage imprecise covenants, and promote litigation.
I am authorized to state that Chief Justice Nichols joins in this special concurrence.