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FranchiseVerdict

FDD Items 3 & 4 · 2026 filing

JEI Learning Center litigation history

What JEI Learning Center 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 & 4 at a glance

What the filing discloses

Cases disclosed
5
Item 3, as counted in the filing
Largest disclosed settlement
$205K
As stated in Item 3
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

Franchisor filed 4 lawsuits against franchisees in FY2022 to enforce covenants not-to-compete (all settled); also a 2013 Maryland Consent Order required predecessor JSLS to cease/desist unregistered franchise offers and pay a $15,000 civil penalty.

Disclosure signals that moved the score

How this shows up in the verdict

  • History of litigation including trade secret misappropriation by predecessor (Daekyo America) and unregistered franchise sales violations suggests compliance and IP protection vulnerabilities
  • Current aggressive litigation strategy (4 active lawsuits against former franchisees for non-compete enforcement) signals franchisor may be experiencing system deterioration and protecting turf rather than supporting franchisees
  • Going concern flag indicates potential financial viability questions about franchisor's long-term sustainability

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?