Campbell Soup Co. v. Giles

TORRUELLA, Chief Judge. After having worked for some thirteen years in a series of sales positions at plaintiff Campbell Soup Co., defendant Paul Giles resigned to undertake similar employment at one of Campbell's chief competitors. Campbell promptly filed suit, alleging that Giles would inevitably use or disclose various trade secrets in the performance of his new duties. Among the relief sought was a preliminary injunction barring Giles from assuming his new position (at least through the end of the fiscal year) or from otherwise making use of Campbell's trade secrets. The district court denied the request for preliminary injunctive relief, finding that Campbell had satisfied none of the four criteria governing the award thereof. Campbell now appeals, complaining principally that the court erred in failing to conduct an evidentiary hearing prior to so ruling. We affirm. I.