A Massachusetts federal district court enforced a non-compete provision in a franchise agreement to enjoin former franchisees from operating a different branded automotive business at the same location as the former...more
A Maryland federal district court denied a restaurant franchisor’s motion to dismiss, concluding that a restaurant manager at a franchised location alleged sufficient facts to support a finding that the franchisor is a joint...more
A California appellate court affirmed a trial court’s denial of more than $4 million in damages for “reverse royalties” arising from a franchisee’s purchase of a boba franchise with an exclusive 10-mile territory....more
A Tennessee federal district court granted a franchisee’s request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the franchisor from enforcing noncompete restrictions under the franchise agreement while the franchisee litigated its...more
A North Carolina federal court dismissed a complaint brought by a franchisee against its franchisor. The franchisee alleged the franchisor fraudulently induced the franchisee to enter into a franchise agreement, but the court...more
A Pennsylvania federal court refused to enforce non-competition and non-solicitation covenants in a franchise agreement of a nationwide tax preparation service franchisor. The court dismissed the franchisor’s request for...more
A federal district court in Indiana held that a forum selection clause in the franchise agreement prevailed over a competing forum selection clause in the personal guaranty....more
A federal district court in Florida denied a former moving and junk hauling franchisee’s motion to dismiss claims of trademark infringement and unfair competition by franchisor College Hunks Hauling Junk (“CHHJ”)....more
A Michigan federal district court dismissed a franchisee’s claims against its franchisor's CEO and several individuals responsible for negotiating its franchise agreements, for lack of personal jurisdiction....more
A California federal district court held that judgment entered against individual owners of a franchisor entity, KEP Fortune, LLC, finding them jointly and severally liable with the franchisor entity, was not erroneous or a...more
A Wisconsin federal district court allowed an insurance company’s field representative’s allegations that his representation agreement was an unregistered franchise to proceed beyond the pleading stage....more
A Texas court of appeals affirmed judgment in favor of a plaintiff who claimed a franchisor was vicariously liable for a franchisee’s employee’s wrongful conduct....more
A Michigan district court held a franchisee breached its obligations under its franchise agreements and upheld the liquidated damages clause in the agreements....more
A Minnesota federal court denied cookie dough franchisor Cookie Dough Bliss Franchising’s motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against a former Minnesota franchisee and its owners....more
9/29/2023
/ Breach of Contract ,
Franchise Agreements ,
Franchise Termination ,
Franchisee ,
Irreparable Harm ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Proprietary Information ,
Public Interest ,
Restraining Orders ,
Trade Secrets ,
Trademarks
A Minnesota bankruptcy court granted Fantastic Sams a preliminary injunction against a former Fantastic Sams franchisee, finding the operation of four new hair salons by the former franchisee was prohibited by enforceable...more
A Virginia district court dismissed a lawsuit filed by 360 Painting, a franchisor of residential and commercial painting services, concluding an addendum to the parties’ franchise agreement precluded 360 Painting’s claims for...more
A Texas federal court denied a franchisor’s request to enjoin operations of a former franchisee’s competing optical retail stores for failure to establish likelihood of success on a claim of trade dress infringement. The...more
A Dallas-based federal district court denied a franchisor’s request to keep its action against former franchisees in Texas and transferred the action to the Eastern District of Virginia....more
A federal district court in New York dismissed workplace harassment and retaliation claims against corporate affiliates of the Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill franchisor for damages as a result of workplace harassment...more
6/30/2023
/ Civil Rights Act ,
Dismissals ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Franchise Agreements ,
Franchisee ,
Franchisors ,
Harassment ,
Joint Employers ,
Retaliation ,
Title VII
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court’s order denying a franchisor’s request for preliminary injunction against a terminated franchisee to enforce covenants not to compete or solicit former clients....more
A federal district court denied a pizza franchisor’s motion to dismiss a former franchisee’s complaint, finding the former franchisee sufficiently pleaded the franchisor coerced the franchisee into signing a general release....more
An Ohio appellate court upheld the state trial court’s decision to grant a permanent injunction against two former franchisees of an auto body shop franchise working for a competitor in violation of the franchise agreement’s...more
4/28/2023
/ Breach of Contract ,
Confidentiality Agreements ,
Evidence ,
Franchise Agreements ,
Franchisee ,
Franchisors ,
Irreparable Harm ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Permanent Injunctions ,
Proprietary Information ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Trade Secrets
A federal district court in Michigan granted franchisor Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. (LCEI) a default judgment against its former franchisee for violating the terms of the franchise agreement....more
A federal district court in New Jersey denied Travelodge Hotels’ motion for partial summary judgment against a former franchisee, holding there are genuine issues of fact as to Travelodge’s breach of contract claims....more
An Oregon federal court denied a franchisor’s motion to compel the principals and personal guarantors of a franchisee into arbitration because the parties did not sign arbitration agreements in the franchise documents....more