A Texas appeals court upheld a non-compete injunction against four CRNAs, barring them from practicing within a 20-mile radius of their former workplaces for three years, according to an April 17 report by the Human Resources Director.
The Court of Appeals for the 9th District of Texas at Beaumont affirmed a lower court’s ruling involving Beaumont, Texas-based Anesthesia Associates and four CRNAs who joined a competing firm after their group’s contract with Christus Health Southeast Texas ended Aug. 1, 2025.
Each clinician had signed agreements that included a three-year, 20-mile, non-compete clause and a $30,000 liquidated damages provision. The court found the contracts allowed employers to seek both damages and injunctive relief, rejecting arguments that the payment functioned as a buyout.
Testimony showed the CRNAs’ new employer, Longview, Texas-based EmergencHealth, had agreed to cover legal costs and damages tied to the non-compete violations. The court ruled that such arrangements do not invalidate enforceable restrictions.
The case will proceed to trial June 8, 2026.
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