FDD Items 3 & 4 · 2026 filing
Express Employment Professionals litigation history
What Express Employment Professionals disclosed about lawsuits, arbitrations and bankruptcy in the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 3 lists the material legal actions a franchisor must report; Item 4 covers bankruptcy. This is the franchisor's own disclosure, not a court record, and not legal advice.
Items 3 (litigation) & 4 (bankruptcy) at a glance
What the filing discloses
- Cases disclosed
- 8
- Item 3, as counted in the filing
- Largest settlement, franchisor's own cases
- None stated
- Bankruptcy (Item 4)
- None
- Franchisor, parent, predecessor or officer
- Filing year
- 2026
- Disclosures cover the prior ten years
Extracted from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document
Item 3: litigation
1 active case: Dildar Minhas (former franchisee) v. Express Employment International et al., filed December 2025 in Ontario Superior Court, alleging fraud, misrepresentation and breach; plaintiff seeks $1,000,000 in damages. Express denies all allegations. 5 plaintiff suits filed in 2025 to collect outstanding debt from franchisees/former franchisees. 2 prior actions now resolved (Stoddart class action settled 2021; Sydlynn settled July 2021).
Item 3 (litigation) · 8 matters disclosed · 1 pending listed
Litigation cases
The franchisor
Pending (1)
Dildar Minhas (14842634 Canada Inc.) v. Express Employment International et. al
pendingBrought by a franchisee · filed 2025-12-29 · Milton, Ontario, Canada Superior Court of Justice · CV-2500005285-0000
“… (Milton, Ontario, Canada Superior Court of Justice, Court File No. CV-2500005285-0000) On December 29, 2025, Dildar Minhas (a former franchisee of Ours) commenced this pro se action against Us and two of our employees, in the Milton, Ontario Superior Court of Justice.”Page 23 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “We deny all allegations and intend to vigorously defend the claim. No court date has been set as of yet.”
Concluded (2)
SYDLYNN Professional SVCS, Inc. v. Express Services, Inc.
settledBrought by a franchisee · filed 2020-08-05 · United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma · CIV-20-774-C
“… (United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Case No. CIV-20-774-C). On August 5, 2020, Sydlynn Professional Services, Inc. (“Sydlynn”), one of our franchisees, filed a civil complaint for damages in Oklahoma City, OK asserting claims for fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of the franchise agreement against Us.”Page 24 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “The parties entered into a Settlement Agreement, dated as of July 6, 2021 (the “Sydlynn Settlement Agreement”), to settle and resolve this action.” (page 25)
Michael Stoddart v. Express Services, Inc., Phillips & Associates, Inc. and Western Wine Services, Inc.
settledfiled 2012-03-13 · United States District Court for the Eastern District of California · 2:12-cv-01054-KJM-CKD
“On March 13, 2012, Michael Stoddart (an Associate of Ours) commenced this putative class action against Us, Phillips & Associates, Inc. (Our franchisee), and Western Wine (Our franchisee’s client), in the California Superior Court for Solano County.”Page 24 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “The Court granted preliminary approval on December 4, 2020. Plaintiff’s Motion for Final Approval of Class Action Settlement was granted on December 3, 2021. The settlement has been funded and the matter is now resolved.”
Status not stated in the filing (5)
Express Services, Inc. v. D and P Enterprises, et al
Brought against a franchisee · filed 2025-07-30 · W.D. Okla. · CJ 2025-5412
“… CJ 2025-5412 (W.D. Okla. Filed July 30, 2025)”Page 23 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Express Services, Inc. v. Dixon
Brought against a franchisee · filed 2025-07-28 · W.D. Okla. · CJ-2025-5280
“… CJ-2025-5280 (W.D. Okla. Filed July 28, 2025)”Page 23 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Express Services, Inc. v. Goddess
Brought against a franchisee · filed 2025-07-28 · W.D. Okla. · CJ-2025-5282
“Litigation Against Franchisees in the Last Fiscal Year During fiscal year 2025, We initiated five lawsuits against franchisees (or former franchisees) as follows: Actions to Collect Outstanding Debt Express Services, Inc. v. Goddess, CJ-2025-5282 (W.D. Okla. Filed July 28, 2025)”Page 23 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Express Services, Inc. v. Henley
Brought against a franchisee · filed 2025-07-28 · W.D. Okla. · CJ-2025-5279
“… CJ-2025-5279 (W.D. Okla. Filed July 28, 2025)”Page 23 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Express Services, Inc. v. Sesseman
Brought against a franchisee · filed 2025-07-30 · W.D. Okla. · CJ-2025-5413
“… CJ-2025-5413 (W.D. Okla. Filed July 30, 2025)”Page 23 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Item 3 lists the litigation the franchisor must disclose; a matter against a parent, an affiliate or a named officer is not a matter against the franchisor, and pending claims are allegations, not findings.
Disclosure signals that moved the score
How this shows up in the verdict
- Multiple litigation patterns: fraud allegations, debt collection lawsuits against franchisees, wage/labor disputes, and territory misrepresentation claims suggest systemic franchisor-franchisee tensions
- Settled class action on labor/wage statements raises compliance and operational risk concerns that may persist post-settlement
The verdict grade is FranchiseVerdict's editorial assessment across SBA loan performance, unit growth, revenue and disclosure signals. It is not investment advice.
Before you weigh a lawsuit
How to read Item 3
A franchisor must disclose pending actions and any material civil action involving the franchise relationship, plus convictions or civil judgments for fraud, unfair or deceptive practices, or franchise-law violations, going back ten years. A case the franchisor brought against a franchisee counts too. Item 3 does not include every dispute: settled claims below the materiality line and matters resolved in private arbitration can be absent.
Questions worth asking current and former franchisees, using the contact list in Item 20:
- Were you, or anyone you know in the system, party to a dispute with the franchisor?
- Was it resolved by settlement, arbitration or a court, and on what terms?
- Has the number of disputes gone up or down since you signed?