It requires the court's approval to become binding. The complaint and proposed consent decree were filed on July 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in San Francisco, at the FTC's request by the Department of Justice. The Commission vote to authorize filing was 5-0. The FTC's San Francisco Regional Office handled this matter. This consent decree is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendant of a law violation.
Consent decrees have the force of law when signed by the judge.
The FTC has published a free brochure for consumers considering buying a franchise.