• Noncompetition covenants are valid to protect business goodwill in the sale of a company. In other contexts, they are generally disfavored as restraints of trade: courts generally enforce them for the duration of the business relationship, but provisions that extend beyond the termination of that relationship must be reasonable in scope, time, and territory.
— Also termed noncompetition agreement; noncompete covenant; covenant not to compete; restrictive covenant; promise not to compete; contract not to compete. [Cases: Contracts 115. C.J.S. Con-tracts §§ 249–254, 257–260.]