The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in California, Virginia, Georgia and Washington state, were among the first to cite a CAN-SPAM law that took effect across America in January.

ECONOMIST: Can they can spam? | The

On that note, if you're wondering whether a franchiser has ever been sued, consider that federal law mandates that franchise disclosure documents cite any significant litigation it's been involved, including lawsuits filed by franchisees or groups of franchisees.

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