Background and Scope.
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Question
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Short Answer
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Further Detail
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What is arbitration?
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An alternative to court
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In arbitration, a third-party arbitrator ("Arbitrator") solves Disputes in an informal hearing.
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Is it different from court and jury trials?
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Yes
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The hearing is private. There is no jury. It is usually less formal, faster, and less expensive than a lawsuit. Pre-hearing fact finding is limited. Appeals are limited. Courts rarely overturn arbitration awards.
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Can you opt out of this Arbitration Clause?
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Yes, within 60 days
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If you do not want this Arbitration Clause to apply, you must send us a signed notice within 60 calendar days after open an Account. You must send the notice in writing (and not electronically) to our Notice Address. Provide your name, address, and Card or Account number. State that you "opt out" of the Arbitration Clause.
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What is this Arbitration Clause about?
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The parties’ agreement to arbitrate Disputes
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Unless prohibited by applicable law and unless you opt out, you and we agree that you or we may elect to arbitrate or require arbitration of any "Dispute" as defined below.
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Who does the Arbitration Clause cover?
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You, us, and certain "Related Parties"
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This Arbitration Clause governs you and us. It also covers certain "Related Parties": (1) our parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates; (2) our employees, directors, officers, shareholders, members, and representatives; and (3) any person or company that is involved in a Dispute you pursue at the same time you pursue a related Dispute with us.
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What Disputes does the Arbitration Clause cover?
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All Disputes (except certain Disputes about this Arbitration Clause)
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This Arbitration Clause governs all "Disputes" that would usually be decided in court and are between us (or any Related Party) and you. In this Arbitration Clause, the word "Disputes" has the broadest reasonable meaning. It includes all claims even indirectly related to your Account or this Agreement. It includes claims related to the validity in general of this Agreement. However, it does not include disputes about the validity, coverage, or scope of this Arbitration Clause or any part of this Arbitration Clause. (This includes a Dispute about the rule against class arbitration.) All such disputes are for a court and not an Arbitrator to decide.
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Who handles the arbitration?
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Usually AAA or JAMS
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Arbitrations are conducted under this Arbitration Clause and the rules of the arbitration administrator in effect when the arbitration is started. However, arbitration rules that conflict with this Arbitration Clause do not apply. The arbitration administrator will be either:
- The American Arbitration Association ("AAA"), 1633 120 Broadway, Floor 21, New York, NY 10271, www.adr.org.
- JAMS, 620 Eighth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10018, www.jamsadr.com.
- Any other company picked by agreement of the parties.
If all the above options are unavailable, a court will pick the administrator. No arbitration may be administered without our consent by any administrator that would permit a class arbitration under this Arbitration Clause. The Arbitrator will be selected under the administrator’s rules. However, the Arbitrator must be a lawyer with at least ten years of experience or a retired judge unless you and we otherwise agree.
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Can Disputes be litigated?
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Sometimes
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Either party may bring a lawsuit if the other party does not demand arbitration. We will not demand arbitration of any lawsuit you bring as an individual action in small-claims court. However, we may demand arbitration of any appeal of a small-claims decision or any small-claims action brought on a class basis.
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Are you giving up any rights?
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Yes
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For Disputes subject to this Arbitration Clause, you give up your right to:
- Have juries decide Disputes.
- Have courts, other than small-claims courts, decide Disputes.
- Serve as a private attorney general or in a representative capacity.
- Join a Dispute you have with a dispute by other consumers.
- Bring or be a class member in a class action or class arbitration.
We also give up the right to a jury trial and to have courts decide Disputes you wish to arbitrate.
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Can you or another consumer start a class arbitration?
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No
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The Arbitrator is not allowed to handle any Dispute on a class or representative basis. All Disputes subject to this Arbitration Clause must be decided in an individual arbitration or an individual small-claims action. This Arbitration Clause will be void if a court rules that the Arbitrator can decide a Dispute on a class basis and the court’s ruling is not reversed on appeal.
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What law applies?
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The Federal Arbitration Act ("FAA")
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This Agreement and the Account involve interstate commerce. Thus, the FAA governs this Arbitration Clause. The Arbitrator must apply substantive law consistent with the FAA. The Arbitrator must honor statutes of limitation and privilege rights. Punitive damages are governed by the constitutional standards that apply in judicial proceedings.
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Will anything I do make this Arbitration Clause ineffective?
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No
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This Arbitration Clause stays in force even if: (1) you or we end this Agreement; or (2) we transfer or assign our rights under this Agreement.
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Process.
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What must a party do before starting a lawsuit or arbitration?
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Send a written Dispute notice and work to resolve the Dispute
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Before starting a lawsuit or arbitration, the complaining party must give the other party written notice of the Dispute. The notice must explain in reasonable detail the nature of the Dispute and any supporting facts. If you are the complaining party, you must send the notice in writing (and not electronically) to our Notice Address. You or an attorney you have personally hired must sign the notice and must provide the contact information where you (or your attorney) can be reached. A letter from us to you will serve as our written notice of a Dispute. Once a Dispute notice is sent, the complaining party must give the other party a reasonable opportunity over the next 30 days to resolve the Dispute on an individual basis.
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How does an arbitration start?
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Mailing a notice
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If the parties do not reach an agreement to resolve the Dispute within 30 days after notice of the Dispute is received, the complaining party may commence a lawsuit or an arbitration, subject to the terms of this Arbitration Clause. To start an arbitration, the complaining party picks the administrator and follows the administrator’s rules. If one party begins or threatens a lawsuit, the other party can demand arbitration. This demand can be made in court papers. It can be made if a party begins a lawsuit on an individual basis and then tries to pursue a class action. Once an arbitration demand is made, no lawsuit can be brought and any existing lawsuit must stop.
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Will any hearing be held nearby?
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Yes
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The Arbitrator may decide that an in-person hearing is unnecessary and that he or she can resolve a Dispute based on written filings and/or a conference call. However, any in-person arbitration hearing must be held at a place reasonably convenient to you.
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What about appeals?
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Very limited
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Appeal rights under the FAA are very limited. The Arbitrator’s award will be final and binding. Any appropriate court may enter judgment upon the Arbitrator’s award.
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Arbitration Fees and Awards.
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Who bears arbitration fees?
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Usually, we do
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We will pay all filing, administrative, hearing, and Arbitrator fees if you act in good faith, cannot get a waiver of such fees, and ask us to pay.
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When will we cover your legal fees and costs?
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If you win
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If you win an arbitration, we will pay the reasonable fees and costs for your attorneys, experts, and witnesses. We will also pay these amounts if required under applicable law or the administrator’s rules or if payment is required to enforce this Arbitration Clause. The Arbitrator shall not limit his or her award of these amounts because your Dispute is for a small amount.
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Will you ever owe us for arbitration or attorneys’ fees?
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Only for bad faith
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The Arbitrator can require you to pay our fees if (and only if): (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 Clause invalid.
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Can an award be explained?
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Yes
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A party may request details from the Arbitrator, within 14 days of the ruling. Upon such request, the Arbitrator will explain the ruling in writing.
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