Who decides the location for arbitration or mediation involving a Ledgers franchise purchased in Washington if the parties cannot agree?

According to Ledgers' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the location for arbitration or mediation involving a franchise purchased in Washington will be determined as follows. The site will be in the state of Washington, or in a place mutually agreed upon at the time of the arbitration or mediation. If an agreement cannot be reached, the arbitrator or mediator will determine the location at the time of arbitration or mediation.

This stipulation is part of the Washington Addendum to the Franchise Disclosure Document, Franchise Agreement, and all related agreements, and it applies if the offer to sell a franchise is accepted in Washington, the purchaser is a resident of Washington, or the franchised business is to be located or operated in Washington.

This clause ensures that Washington franchisees are not forced to travel to a distant or inconvenient location for dispute resolution. It also gives the arbitrator or mediator the power to make the final determination on the location if the parties cannot agree, providing a mechanism to resolve potential deadlocks.