Where will arbitration or mediation take place involving a City Publications franchise purchased in Washington?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
In any arbitration or mediation involving a franchise purchased in Washington, the arbitration or mediation site will be either in the state of Washington, or in a place mutually agreed upon at the time of the arbitration or mediation, or as determined by the arbitrator or mediator at the time of arbitration or mediation.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, for franchises purchased in Washington, the arbitration or mediation site will be in Washington state. However, the location can also be a place mutually agreed upon at the time of the arbitration or mediation. The arbitrator or mediator can also determine the location at the time of arbitration or mediation.
This means that if a City Publications franchisee in Washington has a dispute with the company that goes to arbitration or mediation, the proceedings will likely occur within the state. This can save the franchisee travel costs and time compared to a situation where arbitration is required to take place out of state.
However, there are alternative possibilities. The franchisee and City Publications could agree to a different location outside of Washington at the time of the dispute. Also, the arbitrator or mediator could choose a location. A prospective franchisee should consider the potential for out-of-state arbitration when evaluating the franchise opportunity.