In which court did the Dovid Tyrnauer case against Ben Jerrys ultimately conclude?
Ben_Jerrys Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Dovid Tyrnauer v. Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, White Plains Division, Case No. 1:23-cv-01877. On March 3, 2023, Dovid Tyrnauer ("Plaintiff") filed a purported class action complaint against Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. ("Homemade"), alleging that Plaintiff and the proposed class were harmed because, had they known that the products sold by Ben & Jerry's were produced via supply chains that may contain migrant child labor, they would not have bought these products at all or would have been willing to only pay a fraction of what they actually paid. In making the complaint, which accuses Homemade of breach of warranty and deceptive business practices, Plaintiff relies on a New York Times article (Hannah Dreier, "Biden Administration Plans Crackdown on Migrant Child Labor," (Feb. 27, 2023), at https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/27/us/biden-child-labor.html).
On June 12, 2023, Plaintiff filed its First Amended Complaint. On August 11, 2023, the case was transferred to the United States District Court for the District of Vermont (Case No. 2:23-cv-00299-cr). Homemade filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint and the Court granted this motion and dismissed the case on August 27, 2024.
Source: Item 3 — LITIGATION (FDD pages 18–20)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Ben Jerrys's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Dovid Tyrnauer v. Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. case was initially filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, White Plains Division. However, the case was later transferred to the United States District Court for the District of Vermont (Case No. 2:23-cv-00299-cr). Ultimately, the court granted Ben Jerrys's motion to dismiss the Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint, and the case was dismissed on August 27, 2024. Therefore, the case concluded in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont.
This information is relevant to potential franchisees as it provides insight into the types of legal challenges Ben Jerrys has faced. The nature of the lawsuit, alleging deceptive business practices related to supply chain labor, could be of concern to franchisees who value ethical sourcing and transparency. The fact that Ben Jerrys successfully had the case dismissed is a positive outcome for the company.
Prospective franchisees should be aware that litigation can be costly and time-consuming, even when the franchisor prevails. Understanding the types of claims that have been brought against Ben Jerrys in the past can help franchisees assess the potential risks and liabilities associated with the franchise. It is also important to note that this is only one example of concluded litigation, and Ben Jerrys may face other legal challenges in the future.