A federal court in Indiana made an interesting decision on whether a business relationship was a franchise. Wabash National Corp. is a famous maker of semitrailers. Wabash notified a dealer in Texas that its dealership was going to be terminated. The dealer sued in Indiana where Wabash is based, claiming protection under Indiana's Franchise Investment Act, which requires a franchisor to have good cause to terminate a franchisee, and under Indiana's motor vehicle franchise law, which prohibits unfair practices.

The two Indiana statutes define "franchise" differently. Under the motor vehicle statute, a relationship is a franchise if the manufacturer and dealer have a "community of interest." The court ruled there was a community of interest because the dealer had a large investment in and a large portion of its revenues came from selling Wabash semitrailers. The court allowed the dealer's claim under the motor vehicle statute to proceed. But the Indiana Franchise Act defines a franchise as a relationship involving a marketing plan, brand name and franchise fee. Because the Dealer Agreement said the dealer controls its business and decision making, the court ruled there was no marketing plan provided by Wabash, and therefore no "franchise" under the Act. So this part of the lawsuit was dismissed.

It is often said that the law can be counterintuitive. The Wabash case is an example, because the dealer was found to be a franchisee under one state law, and not a franchisee under a different law. This case shows the importance of understanding how franchise and dealer relationships align with the specific laws that apply in a particular state.

Ervin Equipment, Inc. v. Wabash National Corp. No. 4:15-CV-104-PPS-PRC, 2016 WL 2892132 (N.D. Ind. May 17, 2016).