On September 21, 2020, Craig Nunes (“Plaintiff”) filed a complaint in interpleader against Matt Knudson (“Knudson”) and NufinishPro Franchising, LLC (“NFP”). NFP filed an answer on October 13, 2020, as well as a cross-complaint, against Knudson and Boise Bathtub Refinishing, Inc. (“BBR”). NFP’s owner, Brett Davis (“Davis”), is also named as a cross-complainant.1
The complaint alleges that Plaintiff and Knudson are shareholders in a corporation known as Premier Refinishing, Inc. (“Premier”), which operates pursuant to a franchise agreement with NFP (within a protected territory in California). The complaint further alleges that in May 2020, Plaintiff and Knudson entered into an agreement under which Plaintiff would pay Knudson $148,000 for his shares in Premier. In the interim, Knudson moved to Idaho and NFP alleges that Knudson has misappropriated its trade secrets and is operating a competing business in that state. (Cmp., ¶¶ 6-9.) The complaint alleges that Knudson demands the $148,0