Jim Rosica
An appellate court on Wednesday delivered a mixed bag of a ruling in a nearly four-year-old case involving a business rival trying to pry “alleged trade secrets” out of another.
In 2016, Circuit Judge Karen Gievers of Tallahassee ruled against Managed Care of North America, or MCNA Dental, ordering the company to divulge certain records to Delta Dental.
Specifically, MCNA was told to give up the names and locations of the dentists it contracts with.
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal (DCA) upheld Gievers’ order compelling disclosure of some documents with identifying information, but reversed her as to disclosing information on “prospective providers.”
“Portions of the order are not supported by competent, substantial evidence,” the appellate opinion said.
Delta was one of four companies in late 2015 to bid on providing kids’ dental services, and the only one to lose.
It filed a public records request with Florida Healthy Kids Corp., which manages the contract. MCNA learned of the request and objected.
The 1st DCA panel included Judges Ross L. Bilbrey, Stephanie W. Ray and M. Kemmerly Thomas.
