Does the Zoomin Groomin agreement specify that Virginia law governs disputes?
Zoomin_Groomin Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Company on any preliminary, temporary, or permanent injunction obtained by Company. In the event of such breach, Company shall, in addition to any equitable relief, be entitled to any other remedy provided by law, including the award of damages.
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- Indemnity. Recipient agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Company and its affiliates, officers, directors, agents, affiliates, distributors, representatives, and employees from any and all third-party claims, losses, damages, and costs, including reasonable attorney's fees and expenses, resulting from any breach of this Agreement by Recipient.
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- Governing Law/Venue. This Agreement and any disputes arising from or related to it, or the parties' dealings ("Claims"), will be governed by Virginia law without regard to its rules of conflict or choice of laws. The parties also agree to bring any Claims solely in the state and federal courts closest to Virginia Beach, Virginia.
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Source: Item 9 — 01. Financial Statements and Exhibits. (FDD pages 68–156)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Zoomin Groomin Franchise Disclosure Document, the Non-Disclosure Agreement specifies that Virginia law governs any disputes arising from or related to the agreement. Specifically, the document states that Virginia law will be used without regard to its rules of conflict or choice of laws. Additionally, any claims must be brought in the state and federal courts closest to Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Furthermore, the Franchise Agreement itself also specifies that Virginia law governs all claims related to or arising out of the agreement or any dealings between the parties, except for claims governed by federal law. However, laws regulating the sale of franchises or the relationship between franchisor and franchisee will only apply if the jurisdictional requirements of such laws are met independently of this paragraph.
This means that if a franchisee has a dispute with Zoomin Groomin, the dispute will likely be resolved under Virginia law in a Virginia court. Franchisees should be aware of this and consider the implications of litigating in Virginia, regardless of where their franchise is located. It is typical for franchise agreements to specify a particular state's law to govern disputes, as this provides clarity and predictability for both parties.