Disney Wants Its Trade Secrets Kept Confidential in Legal Battle With the CFTOD
As Disney prepares to appeal Judge Allen Winsor’s dismissal of its lawsuit against Ron DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) board in federal court, the company’s battle with the CFTOD continues to rage in state court.
On Friday, Disney asked a state court judge for a protective order that would allow it to designate documents and depositions as confidential. Any party handling them, including the CFTOD legal team, would have to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
In its request, Disney said that the litigation will likely involve the disclosure of trade secrets, as well as technical, financial, and personal information, which could result in “significant harm” if they are made public. The request was unopposed by the CFTOD legal team.
The Battle Over Reedy Creek Continues
Disney and the CFTOD are squaring off in state court over last-minute binding agreements that the company made with the Reedy Creek Improvement District in the waning days of the special district’s existence.
The agreements essentially gave Disney control over its Central Florida land in perpetuity, undermining the incoming CFTOD’s authority.
Despite having declared the agreements void, the CFTOD is asking a state judge to nullify them.
Disney, meanwhile, has filed counterclaims asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable while also demanding reparations from the CFTOD for their failure to abide by the agreements.
As the trial has developed, Disney has also sued the CFTOD for failing to turn over the documentation requested as part of the discovery process.
Disney Prepares to Appeal Federal Ruling
The state lawsuit is playing out as Disney prepares to appeal its federal lawsuit accusing Ron DeSantis and the CFTOD of violating their First Amendment rights.
In that suit, Disney is arguing that DeSantis and his allies dissolved Reedy Creek in retaliation for Disney speaking out against the state’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which critics had dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.”
Last week, Judge Allen Winsor dismissed the Disney suit, ruling that the company had no standing to sue DeSantis and that its case against the CFTOD lacked merit.
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