For Beard Papas franchises, under what condition does each provision of the amendment become effective with respect to the jurisdictional requirements of the Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law?

According to the 2025 Beard Papas Franchise Disclosure Document, each provision within the Maryland Franchise and Development Agreement Amendment becomes effective only to the extent that the jurisdictional requirements of the Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law are independently met, without relying on the amendment itself. This means that the provisions of the amendment will only apply if the legal prerequisites and conditions for jurisdiction under Maryland law are satisfied separately from the existence of the amendment.

This condition ensures that the amendment's provisions do not override or circumvent the fundamental jurisdictional requirements established by Maryland law. For a Beard Papas franchisee, this implies that the enforceability and applicability of any amended term depend on whether Maryland's legal standards for jurisdiction are met on their own merits.

In practical terms, a Beard Papas franchisee in Maryland should be aware that the amendment's clauses are not automatically valid. They must verify that the underlying jurisdictional requirements of Maryland law are fulfilled before assuming that a specific provision is enforceable. This could involve consulting with legal counsel to assess whether a particular claim or dispute falls under Maryland's jurisdiction, irrespective of the amendment's language.

This stipulation protects the franchisee by ensuring that their rights and obligations are determined by established legal standards rather than solely by the amendment's terms. It also highlights the importance of understanding Maryland's franchise laws and seeking independent legal advice to navigate the complexities of franchise agreements and amendments.