Arbitration, Class-Action Waiver, and Jury Waiver
If you pursue a legal claim against Company, you agree to arbitration (with limited exceptions).
The exclusive means of resolving any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms (including any alleged breach thereof) or our Services shall be binding arbitration administered by JAMS under the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules & Procedures, except as modified by our Arbitration Procedures. The one exception to the exclusivity of arbitration is that either party has the right to bring an individual claim against the other in a small-claims court of competent jurisdiction, or, if filed in arbitration, the responding party may request that the dispute proceed in small claims court if the party’s claim is within the jurisdiction of the small claims court. If the responding party requests to proceed in small claims court before the appointment of the arbitrator, the arbitration shall be administratively closed, and if requested after the appointment of the arbitrator, the arbitrator shall determine if the dispute should be decided in arbitration or if the arbitration should be administratively closed and decided in small claims court. Whether you choose arbitration or small-claims court, you may not under any circumstances commence or maintain against the Company any class action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding.
By using our Services in any manner, you agree to the above arbitration agreement. In doing so, YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend any claims between you and the Company (except for matters that may be taken to small-claims court). YOU ALSO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR OTHER CLASS PROCEEDING. Your rights will be determined by a NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR, NOT A JUDGE OR JURY, and the arbitrator shall determine all issues regarding the arbitrability of the dispute. You are entitled to a fair hearing before the arbitrator. The arbitrator can grant any relief that a court can, but you should note that arbitration proceedings are usually simpler and more streamlined than trials and other judicial proceedings. Decisions by the arbitrator are enforceable in court and may be overturned by a court only for very limited reasons. For details on the arbitration process, see our Arbitration Procedures.
Any proceeding to enforce this arbitration agreement, including any proceeding to confirm, modify, or vacate an arbitration award, may be commenced in any court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that this arbitration agreement is for any reason held to be unenforceable, any litigation against the Company (except for small-claims court actions) may be commenced only in the federal or state courts located in New York, New York. You hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of those courts for such purposes.
Governing Law
New York law and the Federal Arbitration Act will apply if there is a dispute (except where prohibited by law).
Except where our arbitration agreement is prohibited by law, the laws of the State of New York, excluding conflict of laws rules, will apply to any disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement or our Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Arbitration Agreement in Section 15a above shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. For the avoidance of doubt, the choice of New York governing law shall not supersede any mandatory consumer protection legislation in such jurisdictions.
Venue
Any claims that are not submitted to arbitration for any reason must be litigated in New York, New York (except for claims brought in small claims court, or where prohibited by law).
Except for claims that may be properly brought in a small claims court of competent jurisdiction in the county or other jurisdiction in which you reside or in New York, New York, all claims arising out of or relating to this Agreement, to our Services, or to your relationship with Company that for whatever reason are not submitted to arbitration will be litigated exclusively in the federal or state courts of New York New York. You and Company consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction of courts in New York and waive any claim that such courts constitute an inconvenient forum.