Arbitration / Class Action Waiver
READ THIS “ARBITRATION AGREEMENT” CAREFULLY AS IT WILL HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON HOW LEGAL CLAIMS YOU AND WE HAVE AGAINST EACH OTHER ARE RESOLVED. For example, if we elect to require you to arbitrate any claim, you will not have the right to a jury trial or the right to participate in a class action in court or in arbitration. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AS DESCRIBED BELOW. If you do not reject this Arbitration Agreement and a Claim is arbitrated, neither you nor we will have the right to: (1) have a court or a jury decide the Claim; (2) engage in information-gathering (discovery) to the same extent as in court; (3) participate in a class action, private attorney general or other representative action in court or in arbitration; or (4) join or consolidate a Claim with claims of any other person. The right to appeal is more limited in arbitration than in court and other rights in court may be unavailable or limited in arbitration.
This Arbitration Agreement describes when and how a Claim (as defined below) arising under or related to the Terms between you and us may be arbitrated. Arbitration is a method of resolving disputes in front of one or more neutral persons, instead of having a trial in court in front of a judge and/or jury. If a claim is arbitrated, each party waives its, his or her respective rights to a trial before a jury in connection with the Claim. It can be a quicker and simpler way to resolve disputes. As solely used in this Arbitration Agreement, the terms “we,” “us” and “our” mean “us” as defined above, our parent companies, wholly or majority owned subsidiaries, affiliates, commonly-owned companies, management companies, successors, assigns and any of their employees, officers and directors. For purposes of this Arbitration Agreement, these terms also mean any third party providing any goods or services in connection with the Terms, if such third party is named as a party by you in any lawsuit between you and us.
Your Right to Reject Arbitration
You may reject this Agreement by mailing a rejection notice to 3457 Ringsby Ct, Suite 212, Denver CO, 80216 Attn. Terms Arbitration Rejection, within 30 days after you agree to these Terms. Any rejection notice must include your name, address and telephone number; the date you agreed to the Terms that your rejection notice applies to; and your signature. Your rejection notice will apply only to this Agreement in the Terms but will not affect any term of any other policy or contract between you and us (including without limitation any prior or subsequent agreement), nor will it change your obligation to arbitrate claims or matters covered by any prior or subsequent agreement to arbitrate.
What Claims Are Covered
“Claim” means any claim, dispute or controversy between you and us, whether preexisting, present or future, that in any way arises from or relates to the Terms, your use of the Services, your Account, any transaction in your Account, the events leading up to the Terms (for example, any disclosures, advertisements, promotions or oral or written statements, warranties or representations made by us), communications between you and us and the manner of communicating, any product or service provided by us or third parties in connection with the Terms, the collection of amounts due and the manner of collection, enforcement of any and all of the obligations a party hereto may have to another party, compliance with applicable laws and/or regulations or the relationships resulting from any of the foregoing. “Claim” has the broadest possible meaning, and includes initial claims, counterclaims, cross-claims and third-party claims and federal, state, local and administrative claims and claims which arose before the effective date of this Arbitration Agreement. It includes disputes based upon contract, tort, consumer rights, fraud and other intentional torts, constitution, statute, regulation, ordinance, common law and equity and claims for money damages and injunctive or declaratory relief. However, “Claim” does not include: (i) any dispute or controversy about the validity, enforceability, coverage or scope of this Arbitration Agreement or any part thereof (including, without limitation, the Class Action Waiver set forth below, subparts (A) and (B) of the part (k) set forth below titled “Rules of Interpretation” and/or this sentence); all such disputes or controversies are for a court and not an arbitrator to decide; but disputes about the validity or enforceability of the Terms as a whole are for the arbitrator and not a court to decide; (ii) seeking and obtaining from a court of competent jurisdiction (notwithstanding ongoing arbitration and without waiver of rights under this Arbitration Agreement) provisional or ancillary remedies including but not limited to injunctive relief, temporary restraining orders, property preservation orders, foreclosure, sequestration, eviction, attachment, replevin, garnishment, and/or the appointment of a receiver; (iii) the exercising of any self-help or non-judicial remedies by you or us; (iv) any individual action in court by one party that is limited to preventing the other party from using a self-help remedy and that does not involve a request for damages or monetary relief of any kind; or (v) any individual action brought by you against us in small claims court or your state’s equivalent court, if any. But if that action is transferred, removed or appealed to a different court, we then have the right to choose arbitration. Moreover, this Arbitration Agreement will not apply to any Claims that are the subject of a class action filed in court that is pending as of the effective date of this Arbitration Agreement in which you are alleged to be a member of the putative or certified class.
Electing Arbitration; Starting an Arbitration Proceeding
Either you or we may elect to arbitrate a Claim by giving the other party written notice of the intent to arbitrate the Claim or by filing a motion to compel arbitration of the Claim. This notice may be given before or after a lawsuit has been filed concerning the Claim or with respect to other Claims brought later in the lawsuit, and it may be given by papers filed in the lawsuit, such as a motion to compel arbitration. Each of the arbitration administrators listed below has specific rules for starting an arbitration proceeding. Regardless of who elected arbitration or how arbitration was elected, the party asserting the Claim (i.e., the party seeking money damages or other relief from a court or an arbitrator) is responsible for starting the arbitration proceeding. Thus, if you assert a Claim against us in court, and we elect to arbitrate that Claim by filing a motion to compel arbitration which is granted by the court, you will be responsible for starting the arbitration proceeding. Similarly, if we assert a Claim against you in court, you assert a counterclaim against us, and we elect to arbitrate that counterclaim by filing a motion to compel arbitration which is granted by the court, you will be responsible for starting the arbitration proceeding. Even if all parties have opted to litigate a Claim in court, you or we may elect arbitration with respect to any Claim made by a new party or any Claim later asserted by a party in that or any related or unrelated lawsuit (including a Claim initially asserted on an individual basis but modified to be asserted on a class, representative or multi-party basis). Nothing in that litigation shall constitute a waiver of any rights under this Arbitration Agreement.
Choosing the Administrator
The party starting the arbitration proceeding must choose one of the following arbitration organizations as the Administrator: the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”), 120 Broadway, Floor 21, New York, N.Y 10271, www.adr.org., or JAMS, 1920 Main St. Ste. 300, Irvine, CA 92614, www.jamsadr.com. You may contact these organizations directly if you have any questions about the way they conduct arbitrations or want to obtain a copy of their rules and forms (which are also available on their websites). A single arbitrator shall be appointed. If for any reason the Administrator selected is unable or unwilling to serve or continue to serve as Administrator, the other company will serve as Administrator. If neither the AAA nor JAMS is able or willing to serve as Administrator, we and you will mutually agree upon an Administrator or arbitrator or a court with jurisdiction will appoint the Administrator or arbitrator (or arbitrators, in the case of a three-arbitrator panel provided for in Section “j”, below). No company may serve as Administrator, without the consent of all parties, if it adopts or has in place any formal or informal policy that is inconsistent with and purports to override the terms of the Class Action Waiver in section (e) of this Arbitration Agreement. In all cases, the arbitrator(s) must be a lawyer with more than 10 years of experience or a retired judge. Arbitration of a Claim must comply with this Arbitration Agreement and, to the extent not inconsistent or in conflict with this Arbitration Agreement, the applicable rules of the arbitration Administrator.
Class Action Waiver
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Terms, if either you or we elect to arbitrate a Claim, neither you nor we will have the right: (a) to participate in a class action, private attorney general action or other representative action in court or in arbitration, either as a class representative or class member; or (b) to join or consolidate Claims with claims of any other persons. No arbitrator shall have authority to conduct any arbitration in violation of this provision or to issue any relief that applies to any person or entity other than you and/or us individually. (Provided, however, that the Class Action Waiver does not apply to any lawsuit or administrative proceeding filed against us by a state or federal government agency even when such agency is seeking relief on behalf of a class of borrowers including you. This means that we will not have the right to compel arbitration of any claim brought by such an agency).
Location of Arbitration
Any arbitration hearing that you attend must take place at a location reasonably convenient to your residence.
Cost of Arbitration
Each Administrator charges fees to administer an arbitration proceeding and the arbitrator also charges fees. This includes fees not charged by a court. At your written request, we will pay all filing, hearing and/or other fees charged by the Administrator and arbitrator to you for Claim(s) asserted by you in an individual arbitration after you have paid an amount equivalent to the fee, if any, for filing such Claim(s) in state or federal court (whichever is less) in the judicial district in which you reside. (If you have already paid a filing fee for asserting the Claim(s) in court, you will not be required to pay that amount again). In addition, the administrator may have a procedure whereby you can seek a waiver of fees charged to you by the Administrator and arbitrator. We will always pay any fees or expenses that we are required to pay by law or the Administrator’s rules or that we are required to pay for this Arbitration Agreement to be enforced.
Governing Law
The Terms evidence a transaction involving interstate commerce and, therefore, this Arbitration Agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq. (the “FAA”), and not by any state arbitration law. The arbitrator will not be bound by judicial rules of procedure and evidence that would apply in a court, or by state or local laws that relate to arbitration proceedings. The arbitrator will apply the same statutes of limitation and privileges that a court would apply if the matter were pending in court. The arbitrator will have the authority to hear and rule on appropriate dispositive motions for judgment on the pleadings, for failure to state a claim, or for full or partial summary judgment. In determining liability or awarding damages or other relief, the arbitrator will follow the applicable substantive law, consistent with the FAA that would apply if the matter had been brought in court. The arbitrator may award any damages or other relief or remedies that would apply under applicable law to an individual action brought in court, including, without limitation, punitive damages (which shall be governed by the Constitutional standards employed by the courts) and injunctive, equitable and declaratory relief (but only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by that party’s individual claim). The arbitrator will have the authority to award fees and costs of attorneys, witnesses and experts to the extent permitted by the Terms, the Administrator’s rules or applicable law. However, with respect to Claim(s) asserted by you in an individual arbitration, we will pay your reasonable attorney, witness and expert fees and costs if and to the extent you prevail, if applicable law requires us to or if we must bear such fees and costs in order for this Arbitration Agreement to be enforced. We will not ask you to pay or reimburse us for any fees we pay the Administrator or the arbitrator or for our attorneys’ fees and costs unless (1) the arbitrator finds that you have acted in bad faith (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), and (2) this power does not make this Arbitration Agreement invalid. At the timely request of either party, the arbitrator must provide a brief written explanation of the basis for the award.
Right to Discovery
In addition to the parties’ rights to obtain discovery pursuant to the arbitration rules of the Administrator, either party may submit a written request to the arbitrator to expand the scope of discovery normally allowable under the arbitration rules of the Administrator. The arbitrator shall have discretion to grant or deny that request.
Arbitration Result and Right of Appeal
Judgment upon the award given by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. The arbitrator’s decision is final and binding, except for any right of appeal provided by the FAA. The arbitrator’s authority shall be limited to deciding the case submitted by the parties to the arbitration. Therefore, no decision by any arbitrator shall serve as precedent in other arbitrations except in a dispute between the same parties, in which case it could be used to preclude the same claim from being re-arbitrated. If the amount of the Claim exceeds $25,000, any party can, within 30 days after the entry of the award by the arbitrator, appeal the award to a three-arbitrator panel administered by the Administrator. (If an appeal is not filed within that time period, the arbitration award shall become final and binding). The panel shall reconsider de novo (anew) any aspect of the initial award requested by the appealing party. This means that they shall reach their own findings of fact and conclusions of law rather than deferring in any manner to the original arbitrator. The decision of the panel shall be by majority vote. Reference in this Arbitration Agreement to “the arbitrator” shall mean the panel if an appeal of the arbitrator’s decision has been taken. The costs of such an appeal will be borne in accordance with subparagraph (g) above, captioned “Cost of Arbitration.” Any final decision of the appeal panel is subject to judicial review only as provided under the FAA.
Rules of Interpretation
This Arbitration Agreement shall survive the termination, cancellation or suspension of the Terms, any legal proceeding, and any bankruptcy by you, to the extent consistent with applicable bankruptcy law. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between this Arbitration Agreement, on the one hand, and the applicable arbitration rules or the other provisions of the Terms, on the other hand, this Arbitration Agreement shall govern. If any portion of this Arbitration Agreement is deemed invalid or unenforceable, it shall not invalidate the Terms Policy or the remaining portions of this Arbitration Agreement, except that:
The parties acknowledge that the Class Action Waiver is material and essential to the arbitration of any disputes between them and is non-severable from this Arbitration Agreement. If the Class Action Waiver is limited, voided or found unenforceable, then this Arbitration Agreement (except for this sentence) shall be null and void with respect to such proceeding, subject to the right to appeal the limitation or invalidation of the Class Action Waiver. The parties acknowledge and agree that under no circumstances will a class action be arbitrated; and
If a Claim is brought seeking public injunctive relief and a court determines that the restrictions in the Class Action Waiver or elsewhere in this Arbitration Agreement prohibiting the arbitrator from awarding relief on behalf of third parties are unenforceable with respect to such Claim (and that determination becomes final after all appeals have been exhausted), the Claim for public injunctive relief will be determined in court and any individual Claims seeking monetary relief will be arbitrated. In such a case the parties will request that the court stay the Claim for public injunctive relief until the arbitration award pertaining to individual relief has been entered in court. In no event will a Claim for public injunctive relief be arbitrated.
Notice of Claim; Right to Resolve; Special Payment
Prior to initiating, joining or participating in any judicial or arbitration proceeding regarding any Claim, the Claimant (the party who asserts or seeks to assert a Claim in a lawsuit or arbitration proceeding) shall give the other party written notice of the Claim (a “Claim Notice”) and a reasonable opportunity, not less than 30 days, to resolve the Claim. Any Claim Notice you send must include your name, address, telephone number and loan or account number. Any Claim Notice must explain the nature of the Claim and the relief that is demanded. You may only submit a Claim Notice on your own behalf and not on behalf of any other party. The Claimant must reasonably cooperate in providing any information about the Claim that the other party reasonably requests. If: (i) you submit a Claim Notice in accordance with this paragraph on your own behalf (and not on behalf of any other party); (ii) we refuse to provide the relief you request before an arbitrator is appointed; and (iii) an arbitrator subsequently determines that you were entitled to such relief (or greater relief), the arbitrator shall award you at least $7,500 (not including any arbitration fees and attorneys’ fees and costs to which you may be entitled under this Arbitration Agreement or applicable law). We encourage you to address all Claims you have in a single Claim Notice and/or a single arbitration. Accordingly, this $7,500 minimum award is a single award that applies to all Claims you have asserted or could have asserted in the arbitration, and multiple awards of $7,500 are not contemplated by this Section.
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