U.S. District Judge Mark Walker nixed the request by 21st Century Oncology for a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of the law, which he compared to the campy 1950s horror movie classic “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” filmed 15 miles from the Tallahassee courthouse.
The law, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in June, voids any noncompete agreements between specialist physicians and any entity that employs or contracts with all physicians of that specialty in a particular county. These restrictive covenants remain unenforceable for three years after the date on which a second entity starts offering the same specialty services in the county.