JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery-validate/1.17.0/jquery.validate.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery-validation-unobtrusive/3.2.6/jquery.validate.unobtrusive.min.js"></script>
 <form id="appForm" asp-controller="some" asp-action="AnonymousApp" method="post">
   
    <div class="panel-body pt0 p10">
                <section class="grid grid--direction-row">
                    <!-- First Name -->
                    <div class="grid__col-4">
                        <label class="control-label">First Name <i class="fa fa-asterisk"></i></label>
                        <input name="TaxPreparer.FirstName" class="form-control" maxlength="50"/>
                    </div>

                    <!-- Middle Name -->
                    <div class="grid__col-4">
                        <label class="control-label">Middle Name</label>
                        <input name="TaxPreparer.MiddleName" class="form-control charlimit" maxlength="50"/>
                    </div>

                    <!-- Last Name -->
                    <div class="grid__col-4">
                        <label class="control-label">Last Name <i class="fa fa-asterisk"></i></label>
                        <input name="TaxPreparer.LastName" class="form-control charlimit" maxlength="50"/>
                    </div>
                </section>
   
   </div>
   <input class="btn btn-success btn-large" style="float: right; "id="submitApp" type="submit" value="Submit" />
        </form>

JavaScript

$(document).ready(function() {  
  var checkformValidation = function () {
                $("#appForm").validate({
                rules: {
                    "TaxPreparer.FirstName": "required"
                }
                });
            }

       $('#submitApp').click(function(e) {
                e.preventDefault();
                checkformValidation();
                //checkValidation();
                //$("#appForm").validate();
                if ($("#appForm").valid()) {
                    alert("success");
                    return;
                } else {
                    alert("wrong");
                }
                //$('#submitAppModal').modal('show');
            });
          });