FDD Items 3 & 4 · 2025 filing

Marco's Pizza litigation history

What Marco's Pizza disclosed about lawsuits, arbitrations and bankruptcy in the 2025 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: 16; 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: 2025; Disclosures cover the prior ten years

Extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document

Item 3: litigation

2 pending defendant cases (area representative disputes); multiple franchisor-initiated collection actions against former franchisees; 2 prior actions settled (Cajunland Pizza settled for $310,000; SC America settled for $100,000 plus equipment purchase)

Item 3 (litigation) · 16 matters disclosed · 8 pending listed

Litigation cases

The franchisor

Pending (8)

MFLLC v. FirstSlice, LLC, Bradley Davis, and Russell Smith
pending
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402891-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402891-000 (filed June 26, 2024). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee. After Bradley Davis filed bankruptcy, he was dismissed, as was the company.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
MFLLC v. SecondSlice, LLC, Bradley Davis, and Russell Smith
pending
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402894-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402894-000 (filed June 26, 2024). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee. After Bradley Davis filed bankruptcy, he was dismissed, as was the company.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
MFLLC v. SeventhSlice, LLC, Bradley Davis, and Russell Smith
pending
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402897-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402897-000 (filed June 26, 2024). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee. After Bradley Davis filed bankruptcy, he was dismissed, as was the company.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
MFLLC v. SeventhSlice, LLC, Bradley Davis, and Russell Smith (No. G-4801-CI-0202402898-000)
pending
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402898-000
“MFLLC v. SeventhSlice, LLC, Bradley Davis, and Russell Smith, Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402898-000 (filed June 26, 2024). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee. After Bradley Davis filed bankruptcy, he was dismissed, as was the company.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
MFLLC v. ThirdSlice, LLC, Bradley Davis, and Russell Smith
pending
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402895-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402895-000 (filed June 26, 2024). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee. After Bradley Davis filed bankruptcy, he was dismissed, as was the company.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
American Eagle Investments, Inc. v. Marco’s Franchising, LLC
pending
filed 2022-03-22 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202201831 (formerly G-4801-CI-0202003149)
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202201831 (filed March 22, 2022) (formerly Case No.”Page 14 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “On August 9, 2024, the court of appeals reversed the summary judgment order and remanded the case to the Court of Common Pleas” (page 15)
KAM Development, LLC v. Marco’s Franchising, LLC
pending
filed 2020-09-09 · United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division · 3:20-cv-02024
“… United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, as Case No. 3:20-cv-02024 (filed September 9, 2020).”Page 15 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “the case remains pending, and no trial date has been”
MFLLC v. Slice By Slice Inc. and David Hargett, Jr.
pending
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2004-09-25 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202403923-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202403923-000 (filed September 25, 2004). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee. After David Hargett, Jr. filed bankruptcy, he was dismissed.”Page 17 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

Concluded (6)

MFLLC and MPDLLC v. J&J ZA 2, LLC and James and Jemece Millar
concluded
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402883-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402883-000 (filed June 26, 2024).”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “MFLLC obtained a default judgment in the amount of $23,092.00, plus interest, costs, expenses, and attorney’s fees”
MFLLC and MPDLLC v. J&J ZA 3, LLC and James and Jemece Millar
concluded
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402881-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No.”Page 15 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “default judgment in the amount of $121,969.00, plus interest, costs, expenses, and attorney’s fees, and MPD obtained a” (page 16)
MFLLC v. Magnifico Pizza, LLC and Bradley and Lyndsey Davis
concluded
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402896-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “A default judgment was obtained against the company in the amount of” (page 17)
MFLLC v. Slice N Dice, Inc. and Charles Robinson, Jr.
concluded
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-04-04 · American Arbitration Association · 01-24-0004-2953
“… American Arbitration Association Case Number: 01-24-0004-2953 (initiated April 4, 2024). We initiated collection proceedings in arbitration against a former franchisee, and obtained an award in”Page 17 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
SC America, LLC v. Marco’s Franchising, LLC
concluded
Brought by a franchisee · filed 2022-05-06 · Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Alabama; removed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama; transferred to the United States District Court in Ohio · CV-2022-900192.00; 1:22-cv-00610-RDP; 3:22-cv-00919-JZ
“… originally filed in Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Alabama (CV-2022-900192.00) on May 6, 2022, was removed to U.S.”Page 18 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “The parties mutually dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice on August 8”
Cajunland Pizza, LLC, Ole Tyme Pizza, LLC, Crescent City Pizza, LLC, Partners Pizza, LLC, SELA Pizza #1, LLC and SELA Pizza #2, LLC, vs. Marco’s Franchising, LLC, Marco’s Pizza Holdings, LLC, and Tony Libardi
concluded
filed 2019-05-14 · United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, transferred to the Northern District of Ohio · 19-CV-10366 G(3); 3:20-CV-00536-JGC
“Cajunland Pizza, LLC, Ole Tyme Pizza, LLC, Crescent City Pizza, LLC, Partners Pizza, LLC, SELA Pizza #1, LLC and SELA Pizza #2, LLC, vs. Marco’s Franchising, LLC, Marco’s Pizza Holdings”Page 17 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “The parties exchanged mutual releases of all claims and mutually dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice on December 6” (page 18)

Status not stated in the filing (1)

MFLLC v. NinthSlice, LLC and Bradley Davis
Brought by the franchisor · filed 2024-06-26 · Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio · G-4801-CI-0202402900-000
“… Court of Common Pleas, Lucas County, Ohio, Case No. G-4801-CI-0202402900-000 (filed June 26, 2024). We filed a collection action against a former franchisee.”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

This list shows 15 of the 16 matters Item 3 discloses; the rest are in the filing.

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 ongoing litigation cases involving former area representatives (American Eagle, KAM Development) and franchisor collection actions suggest systemic relationship issues
Pattern of franchisor-initiated litigation (J&J ZA, FirstSlice, Cajunland Pizza) raises questions about enforcement practices and franchisee support quality

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?

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