EX-10.2 4 a08-29602_1ex10d2.htm EX-10.2 LENDER REGISTRATION AGREEMENT (Note Commitment, Purchase and Sale Agreement)
Exhibit 10.2
(Note Commitment, Purchase and Sale Agreement)
This Lender Registration Agreement is made and entered into between you and Prosper Marketplace, Inc. (“Prosper”, “we”, or “us”). This Agreement will govern all purchases of Borrower Payment Dependent Notes that you may, from time to time, purchase from Prosper.
Prosper has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form S 1 (No. ) (as amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) to register the continuous offering and sale of Notes issued by Prosper. The Registration Statement includes a prospectus related to the offering of the Notes by Prosper dated (as supplemented from time to time, the “Prospectus”). The Registration Statement became effective on pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. You acknowledge that the Registration Statement has been delivered to you. You should read the Prospectus carefully and retain a copy for your records.
1. Registration as a Prosper Lender. You are registering as a lender in the Prosper marketplace, so that you may be eligible to post bids on listings displayed on Prosper’s online auction marketplace (the “platform”) and purchase from Prosper Borrower Payment Dependent Notes (“Notes”) issued by Prosper that are dependent for payment on payments we receive on the corresponding borrower loans described in the listings (“borrower loans”). You agree to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the Terms of Use of the Prosper website, and the policies posted on the Prosper website, as may be amended from time to time by Prosper in its sole discretion (collectively, the “Prosper Terms and Conditions”).
Your role as a Prosper “lender” is that of a purchaser of Notes issued by Prosper, and your rights and obligations as a purchaser or prospective purchaser of Notes are set forth below. Although you are referred to in this Agreement and on the Prosper website as a “lender,” you are not actually lending your money directly to Prosper borrowers, but are, instead, acting as an investor and making purchase commitments for Notes and purchasing Notes from Prosper, that are dependent for payment on payments we receive on borrower loans. Prosper uses the term “lender” instead of “investor” in this Agreement and on Prosper’s website for the convenience of Prosper users who appropriately view Prosper as a marketplace for connecting individuals who wish to borrow money, with people who have money and the desire to have loans funded to other individuals.
A bid by a lender on a listing is the lender’s commitment to purchase from Prosper a Note in the principal amount of the lender’s winning bid, provided that the listing has received bids totaling the full amount requested in the listing. Lenders “bid” the amount they are willing to commit to the purchase of a Note that is dependent for payment on payments we receive on the
1
corresponding borrower loan, and the minimum interest rate they are willing to receive. Lenders must have funds in the amount of the bid on deposit in the Prosper funding account (described below). Once a bid is placed, it is irrevocable, and during the time a bid is a “winning” bid on the listing, the amount of the bid is not permitted to be withdrawn from the lender’s Prosper funding account. Lender bids become “winning” bids if such bids are in the group of bids for Notes that, in the aggregate, correspond to the principal amount or amount offered for of the corresponding borrower loan and are in the lowest interest rate among all bids placed against the listing.
Types of Listings. Two types of listings may be posted on the platform: (1) listings posted by Prosper borrowers requesting a loan (“Prosper borrower listings”), and (2) listings posted by originators describing existing loans owned by the originator and offered for sale on the platform (“open market listings”). All loans to borrowers resulting from open market listings will be made to borrowers by WebBank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank (“WebBank”) from its own funds and then subsequently sold and assigned by WebBank to Prosper. Borrower loans described in open market listings are existing loans that are owned by the originator that posted the listing, whether or not such originator originally made the loan, and may include secured or unsecured loans.
Types of Bids. You can bid selectively by browsing through listings and placing a bid on the listing or listings that you choose. You can also bid by making a “portfolio plan” by indicating the aggregate amount of your funds to be bid on listings that meet specified borrower criteria, the maximum amount that may be bid on one listing, the type of listing, the minimum interest rate you are willing to receive, and the specific borrower criteria such as the credit grade or grades of your borrowers, credit, income or employment characteristics of your borrowers, group affiliation or debt-to-income ratio. You may have more than one portfolio plan in place at one time, and you may bid selectively while one or more portfolio plans are in place.
Availability of Funds. At the time you place a bid you must have funds on deposit with Prosper in at least the amount of your bid, and you are not permitted to withdraw those funds for so long as your bid is “winning” as described in Section 3 below. Your funds will be placed in an FDIC-insured non-interest bearing account at Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N. A. (the “Prosper funding account”) separate from Prosper’s own funds. At the time you register as a lender, you must provide your deposit account information to facilitate electronic transfers of funds to and from the Prosper funding account and your deposit account. You will not earn interest on funds in the Prosper funding account. All of your funds in the Prosper funding account that are not committed to winning bids are available for further bidding. You may at any time request that your uncommitted funds in the Prosper funding account be returned to you, in which case Prosper will promptly return the remaining funds to your deposit account using the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network.
Your Note Purchase Commitment. Whether you bid selectively or by making a portfolio plan, each bid you post on the platform is a commitment and promise to purchase a Note issued by Prosper, with the proceeds of the sale of the Note used by Prosper to purchase the specific borrower loan described in the listing on which the bid was made. Once you place a bid, you may not cancel or withdraw the bid or reduce the amount of the bid, to the extent your bid has been matched with one or more listings.
AT THE TIME YOU SUBMIT A BID ON A LISTING, YOU ARE COMMITTING TO PURCHASE A NOTE ISSUED BY PROSPER IN THE AMOUNT OF YOUR BID, THAT IS DEPENDENT FOR ITS PAYMENT ON PAYMENTS WE RECEIVE ON THE BORROWER LOAN DESCRIBED IN THE LISTING, IN THE EVENT THE LISTING RECIEVES BIDS TOTALING THE FULL AMOUNT REQUESTED BY THE BORROWER OR ORIGINATOR THAT POSTED THE LISTING.
2
Limits on Bids. Lenders may bid the entire amount requested by the borrower or originator that posted the listing, or may bid a lesser amount, subject to a minimum bid amount of $50. If you make a portfolio plan, you can achieve risk diversification by designing your portfolio plan to bid your available funds in increments as low as $50 and designating in your portfolio plan that the incremental amount is the maximum amount that may be bid on any one listing. The aggregate amount of all of your bids, when added to the amount outstanding on all of your Notes, must not exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000) for individual lenders, or fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) for corporate or institutional lenders. Subject to these dollar limits, there is no limit on the amount of funds you may commit to bids on listings.
YOU AGREE THAT WHEN MAKING BIDS YOU WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY BORROWER OR GROUP ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, MARITAL STATUS, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, MILITARY STATUS, THE BORROWER’S SOURCE OF INCOME, OR ANY OTHER BASIS PROHIBITED BY AN APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL FAIR LENDING LAW, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT.
3. Matching of Bids and Listings.
a. In order to bid on a listing, you must bid an amount equal to or less than the current auction interest rate for the listing. If you bid by making a portfolio plan, Prosper’s auction platform will automatically match your bids with any listings that offer an interest rate higher than your minimum acceptable interest rate, and otherwise meet your designated criteria. Listings with the highest current auction interest rates above your minimum interest rate will be matched first, and thereafter your bid will be matched to listings with incrementally lower current auction interest rates (but still at or above your minimum acceptable interest rate) until all of your funds committed to the portfolio plan are deployed.
b. When you place a bid on a listing, your bid will be compared to other lender bids placed against the listing, and will be considered to be “winning” to the extent the interest rate specified in your bid is (i) lower than existing bids against the listing, or (ii) equal to existing bids against the listing, provided the listing has not already received a bid or bids totaling the full amount requested by the borrower or financial institution that posted the listing. Your bid remains outstanding on a listing until you are outbid, or until the listing is withdrawn by the borrower or originator that posted the listing or removed by Prosper in accordance with Section 10 below. If you are outbid, or if the listing is withdrawn or removed, your bid will be cancelled, and your funds that were committed to your bid will be available for further bidding.
c. If a listing gets a bid or bids in an amount totaling the amount requested in the listing for the borrower loan, the bids that are winning bids at the time the listing expires are considered the winning bids for the listing.
d. Prosper does not warrant or guaranty that your bids will be become winning bids against any listings. In the event some, but not all, of the funds you bid become winning bids against a listing (for example, when you are the last winning bidder on a listing), you are committed to purchasing a Note issued by Prosper in the amount of the portion of your funds that is a winning bid against the listing, and the remainder of your funds (i.e., the unmatched funds) will remain in your Prosper funding account, available for further bidding.
e. In most instances a listing is matched with more than one bid, and you will be one of several lenders who purchase a Note in a series of Notes that correspond to the borrower loan described in the listing. Each series of Notes will correspond to a single borrower loan, as
3
described in the listing, originated to a borrower or offered for sale through our platform by an originator. Payments to the lenders who purchase the Notes are dependent on payments received on the corresponding borrower loan.
f. To safeguard your privacy rights and those of your borrowers, on all Notes and promissory notes evidencing borrower loans, the identity and address of the borrower will be shielded from your view, and your identity as the purchaser and owner of Notes will be shielded from the borrowers. Only the borrower’s Prosper user name will appear on listings, borrower loans and Notes for you to see, and only your Prosper user name will appear with your bids.
a. Once a lender has committed to purchase a Note that is dependent for payment on the corresponding borrower loans and the listings for such borrower loan receives bids from lenders totaling the loan amount requested in the listing for the borrower loan, we proceed with the funding of the corresponding borrower loan, and with the issuance and sale of Notes to the lenders who were the winning bidders on the listing. You must commit to purchase a Note through the platform before we will proceed with funding of the borrower loan that corresponds to the Note you are committing to purchase.
b. With respect to Prosper borrower listings, funding occurs when loan proceeds are disbursed into the borrower’s designated deposit account. All borrower loans resulting from Prosper borrower listings will be made to Prosper borrowers by WebBank from its own funds and then subsequently sold and assigned by WebBank to Prosper, without recourse. Each loan to the borrower is made from WebBank’s own funds, and will be evidenced by a promissory note, in the form set forth on the attached Exhibit B, naming WebBank as the payee, in the amount of the requested loan. On the day following the date loan proceeds are disbursed to the borrower, the loan will be sold and assigned by WebBank to Prosper without recourse to WebBank. As described in Section 5 below, Prosper uses the proceeds of the sale of each series of Notes to purchase the corresponding borrower loan.
c. With respect to open market listings, funding occurs when the proceeds of the sale of the borrower loan from the originator to Prosper are paid to the originator. All loans offered for sale by originators as described in an open market listings are sold and assigned by the originator to Prosper, without recourse to the originator, at the end of the auction bidding period. As described in Section 5 below, Prosper uses the proceeds of the sale of each series of Notes to purchase the corresponding borrower loan from the originator.
4
in the listings on the Prosper website, and in the promissory notes signed by the borrowers on the corresponding borrower loans. Subject to the servicing standard set forth in Section 6 below, you understand and agree that we may in our sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, amend or waive any term of a borrower loan, and we may in our sole discretion charge off any borrower loan that is more than 120 days delinquent.
PAYMENT ON THE NOTES, IF ANY, DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE RECEIPT OF PAYMENTS BY PROSPER IN RESPECT OF THE CORRESPONDING BORROWER LOAN. PROSPER DOES NOT WARRANT OR GUARANTEE IN ANY MANNER THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE ON ANY NOTE OR REALIZE ANY PARTICULAR OR EXPECTED RATE OF RETURN. THE AMOUNT YOU RECEIVE ON YOUR NOTE, IF ANY, IS SPECIFICALLY RESTRICTED TO PAYMENTS MADE BY US EQUAL TO THE PAYMENTS MADE BY THE BORROWER UNDER A BORROWER LOAN TO WHICH YOU COMMITTED NET OF OUR SERVICING FEE ON ALL BORROWER PAYMENTS. PROSPER DOES NOT MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS AS TO A BORROWER’S ABILITY TO PAY AND DOES NOT ACT AS A GUARANTOR OF ANY CORRESPONDING BORROWER LOAN PAYMENT OR PAYMENTS BY ANY BORROWER.
YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT BORROWERS MAY DEFAULT ON THEIR PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE BORROWER LOANS AND THAT SUCH DEFAULTS WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNTS, IF ANY, YOU MAY RECEIVE UNDER THE TERMS OF ANY NOTES YOU HOLD THAT CORRESPOND TO THOSE BORROWER LOANS.
a. Prosper has complied in all material respects with applicable federal, state and local laws in connection with the offer and sale of the Note.
b. The Note has been duly authorized and, following payment of the purchase price by you and electronic execution, authentication and delivery to you, will constitute valid and binding obligations of Prosper enforceable against Prosper in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement of the Note may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws;
c. The proceeds of the borrower loan corresponding to the Note sold have been fully disbursed to the borrower or the borrower’s designated payee prior to your purchase of the Note.
d. Prosper has made commercially reasonable efforts to authenticate and verify the identity of the borrower obligated on the borrower loan that correspond to the Note.
e. In the event of a material default under a Note you purchase from Prosper under this Agreement that is the result of verifiable identity theft of the named borrower’s identity, Prosper
5
will repurchase the Note by crediting your Prosper funding account with the remaining unpaid principal balance of the Note. The determination of whether verifiable identity theft has occurred shall be in Prosper’s sole discretion. We may require proof of the identity theft, such as a copy of a police report filed by the person whose identity was wrongfully used to obtain the fraudulently-induced borrower loan, an identity theft affidavit or a bank verification letter (or all of the above) in order to determine that verifiable identity theft has occurred. Prosper shall not be required to repurchase a Note under this subsection until such Note is at least 120 days past-due, provided, however, that Prosper may in its sole discretion elect to repurchase a Note at an earlier time. You agree that repurchase of your Note by Prosper is the sole remedy you will have with respect to any such Notes.
10. Prosper’s Right to Verify Information and Cancel Funding.
a. Prosper reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all information provided by borrowers, lenders, originators and group leaders in connection with listings, bids and loans. Prosper also reserves the right to determine in its reasonable discretion whether a registered user is using, or has used, the Prosper website illegally or in violation of any order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or governmental instrumentality, for purposes of fraud or deception, or otherwise in a manner inconsistent with the Prosper Terms and Conditions or any registration agreement between Prosper and such user. Prosper may conduct its review at any time – before, during or after the posting of a listing, or before or after the funding of a borrower loan or sale of a Note. You agree to respond promptly to Prosper’s requests for information in connection with your bid, accounts, or your registration with Prosper.
6
b. In the event Prosper or WebBank, prior to the funding of a borrower loan, reasonably determines that a listing, or a bid for the listing, contains materially inaccurate information (including but not limited to unintended inaccuracies, inaccuracies resulting from errors by Prosper, or inaccuracies resulting from changes in the borrower’s income, residence or credit profile between the date a listing is posted and the date the listing is to be funded) or was posted illegally or in violation of any order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or governmental instrumentality, for purposes of fraud or deception, or otherwise in a manner inconsistent with the Prosper Terms and Conditions or any registration agreement, Prosper and WebBank may refuse to post the listing or, if the listing has already been posted, remove the listing from the Prosper marketplace and cancel all bids against the listing.
c. When a listing ends or expires with a bid or bids totaling the amount requested for the borrower loan, Prosper may conduct a “pre-funding” review prior to the funding of the borrower loan. Prosper may, at any time and in its sole discretion, delay funding of a borrower loan in order to enable Prosper to verify the accuracy of information provided by borrowers, lenders, originators and group leaders in connection with the listing or bids against the listing, and to determine whether there are any irregularities with respect to the listing or the bids against the listing. Prosper may cancel or proceed with funding the borrower loan, depending on the results of Prosper’s pre-funding review. If funding is cancelled, the listing will be removed from the Prosper marketplace and all bids against the listing will be cancelled, and each bidder’s funds will be returned to the Prosper funding account, available for further bidding. In the event Prosper cancels funding of a borrower loan, Prosper will notify the borrower, originator (as applicable), group leader (if any), and all bidders for the listing of Prosper’s determination to cancel funding of the loan.
d. In most instances, Prosper and WebBank do not verify the income, employment and occupation or other information provided by borrowers in listings. The borrower’s income, employment and occupation are self-reported, and the borrower’s non-housing debt-to-income ratio is determined by Prosper and WebBank from a combination of the borrower’s self-reported income and information from the borrower’s credit report. The credit data that appears in listings is taken directly from a credit report obtained on the borrower from a credit reporting agency, without any review or verification by Prosper or WebBank. Prosper and WebBank do not verify any statements by borrowers as to how loan proceeds are to be used and does not confirm after borrower loan funding how loan proceeds were used. In most instances homeownership status is derived from the borrower’s credit report, but is not verified by Prosper or WebBank; if the report reflects an active mortgage loan, the borrower is presumed to be a homeowner. In connection with Prosper’s and WebBank’s identity and anti-fraud verification of borrowers, Prosper verifies the borrower’s deposit account to determine that the borrower is a holder of record of the account. The information in open market listings describing the borrower loan for sale is provided by the originator and is not verified by Prosper or WebBank.
11. No Guarantee of Returns or Payments.
A. PROSPER DOES NOT WARRANT OR GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE ANY RATE OF RETURN, OR ANY MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST ON ANY NOTE, OR ANY PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST AT ALL. THE AMOUNT YOU RECEIVE ON YOUR NOTES IS WHOLLY DEPENDENT UPON THE BORROWERS’ PAYMENT PERFORMANCE UNDER THE PROMISSORY NOTES EVIDENCING THE BORRROWER LOANS CORRESPONDING TO YOUR NOTES. PROSPER DOES NOT GUARANTEE ANY BORROWER LOANS OR NOTES OBTAINED, PURCHASED OR SOLD THROUGH THE PLATFORM AND DOES NOT ACT AS A GUARANTOR OF ANY LOAN PAYMENT OR PAYMENTS BY ANY BORROWER.
7
B. YOU FURTHER UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BORROWERS MAY DEFAULT ON THE BORRROWER LOANS CORRESPONDING TO YOUR NOTES, AND THAT SUCH DEFAULTS MAY NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST YOU RECEIVE ON YOUR NOTES.
8
with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws.
a. Represent yourself to any person, as a representative, employee, or agent of Prosper, or purport to speak to any person on behalf of Prosper;
b. Charge, or attempt to charge, any Prosper borrower any fee in exchange for your agreement to bid on or recommend a borrower’s listing, or propose or agree to accept any fee, bonus, additional interest, kickback or thing of value of any kind, in exchange for your agreement to bid on or recommend a borrower’s listing;
c. Engage in any activities that require a license as a loan broker, credit services organization, credit counselor, credit repair organization, lender or other regulated entity, including but not limited to soliciting loans or loan applications, quoting loan terms and rates, counseling borrowers on credit issues or loan options, in connection with any Prosper loan;
d. Take any action on your own to collect, or attempt to collect, directly or through any third party, any amount from any borrower on any of the borrower loans that correspond to your Notes;
e. Bring a lawsuit or other legal proceeding against any borrower on any borrower loan;
f. Contact borrowers on any borrower loans corresponding to your Notes without the borrower’s consent;
g. Contact any collection agency or law firm to which any borrower loan corresponding to your Note has been referred for collection;
h. Include or display any personally identifying information, including, without limitation, name, address, phone number, email address, Social Security number or driver’s license number, or bank account or credit card numbers of any Prosper member on your Prosper member web page, or elsewhere on or off of the Prosper website, including but not limited to on any forum, blog or website;
i. Contact a borrower, group leader or Prosper friend or take any action to collect, or attempt to collect, any amount from any group leader, any of the borrower’s Prosper friends that provided a recommendation of a listing relating to any borrower loans corresponding to your Notes, or take any action that directly or indirectly suggests that any borrower’s Prosper friend is obligated in any way on a borrower loan corresponding to any Note; or
9
j. Violate any applicable federal, state or local laws, including but not limited to, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and other fair lending laws, Truth in Lending Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Federal Trade Commission Act, federal or state consumer privacy laws, state usury or loan fee statutes, state licensing laws, or state unfair and deceptive trade practices statutes.
10
25. Limitation on Liability. IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, EVEN IF INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. FURTHERMORE, NEITHER PARTY MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY TO THE OTHER REGARDING THE EFFECT THAT THE AGREEMENT MAY HAVE UPON THE FOREIGN, FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL TAX LIABILITY OF THE OTHER.
11
EXHIBIT A
INDENTURE
12
EXHIBIT B
PROMISSORY NOTE
Borrower Address: .
1. Promise to Pay. In return for a loan I have received, I promise to pay WebBank, a Utah-chartered Industrial Bank (“you”) the principal sum of Dollars ($ ), together with interest thereon commencing on the date of funding at the rate of percent ( %) per annum simple interest. I understand that references in this Note to you shall also include any person to whom you transfer this Note.
13
using an automated clearinghouse (ACH) or other electronic fund transfer, or (ii) by bank drafts drawn by you on my behalf on my account each month; and I have chosen one of these methods. If I close my account or if my account changes or is otherwise inaccessible such that you are unable to withdraw my payments from that account or draw bank drafts on the account, I will notify you at least three (3) days prior to any such closure, change or inaccessibility of my account, and authorize you to withdraw my payments from, or draw bank drafts on, another account that I designate.
With regard to payments made by automatic withdrawals from my account, I have the right to (i) stop payment of a preauthorized automatic withdrawal, or (ii) revoke my prior authorization for automatic withdrawals with regard to all further loan payments, by notifying the financial institution where my account is held, orally or in writing at least three (3) business days before the scheduled date of the transfer. I agree to notify you orally or in writing, at least three (3) business days before the scheduled date of the transfer, of the exercise of my right to stop a payment or to revoke my prior authorization for further automatic withdrawals.
9. Prepayments. I may prepay this loan in full or in part at any time without penalty.
14
without my permission. Unless prohibited by applicable law, you may do so without telling me. My obligations under this Note apply to all of my heirs and permitted assigns. Your rights under this Note apply to each of your successors and assigns.
15. Governing Law. This Note is governed by federal law and, to the extent that state law applies, the laws of the State of Utah.
(a) In this Resolution of Disputes provision:
(i) “I,” “me” and “my” mean the borrower under this Note, as well as any person claiming through the borrower;
(ii) “You” and “your” mean WebBank, any person servicing this Note for WebBank, and any subsequent holders of this Note or any interest in this Note, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, predecessors, successors, and assigns, as well as the officers, directors, and employees of each of them; and
(iii) “Claim” means any dispute, claim, or controversy (whether based on contract, tort, intentional tort, constitution, statute, ordinance, common law, or equity, whether pre-existing, present, or future, and whether seeking monetary, injunctive, declaratory, or any other relief) arising from or relating to this Note or the relationship between you and me (including claims arising prior to or after the date of the Note), and includes claims that are brought as counterclaims, cross claims, third party claims, or otherwise and disputes about the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the validity or enforceability of this Resolution of Disputes provision.
(b) Any Claim between you and me shall be resolved, upon the election of either you or me, by binding arbitration administered by the National Arbitration Forum (“NAF”), under its Code of Procedure (“Rules”). I can obtain the Rules and other information about initiating arbitration by contacting the NAF at X.X. Xxx 00000, Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, or at xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx. Your address for serving any arbitration demand or claim is WebBank, x/x Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, Inc., 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Legal Department.
(c) Claims will be arbitrated by a single, neutral arbitrator, who shall be a retired judge or a lawyer with at least ten years experience. You agree not to invoke your right to elect arbitration of an individual Claim filed by me in a small claims or similar court (if any), so long as the Claim is pending on an individual basis only in such court.
15
(d) You will pay all filing and administration fees charged by the NAF and arbitrator fees up to $1,000, and you will consider my request to pay any additional arbitration costs. If an arbitrator issues an award in your favor, I will not be required to reimburse you for any fees you have previously paid to the NAF or for which you are responsible. If I receive an award from the arbitrator, you will reimburse me for the fees paid by me to the NAF. Each party shall bear its own attorney’s, expert’s and witness fees, which shall not be considered costs of arbitration; however, if a statute gives me the right to recover these fees, or fees paid to the NAF, then these statutory rights will apply in arbitration.
(e) Any in-person arbitration hearing will be held in the city with the federal district court closest to my residence, or in such other location as the parties may mutually agree. The arbitrator shall apply applicable substantive law consistent with the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1-16, and, if requested by either party, provide written reasoned findings of fact and conclusions of law. The arbitrator shall have the power to award any relief authorized under applicable law. Any appropriate court may enter judgment upon the arbitrator’s award. The arbitrator’s decision will be final and binding except that: (1) any party may exercise any appeal right under the FAA; and (2) any party may appeal any award relating to a claim for more than $100,000 to a three-arbitrator panel appointed by the NAF, which will reconsider de novo any aspect of the appealed award. The panel’s decision will be final and binding, except for any appeal right under the FAA. Unless applicable law provides otherwise, the appealing party will pay the appeal’s cost, regardless of its outcome. However, you will consider any reasonable written request by me for you to bear the cost.
(f) Neither you nor I shall have the right to participate as a representative or member of any class of claimants in arbitration, and you and I further agree that claims of third parties shall not be joined in any arbitration between you and me, without the express written consent of both you and me. Only the claims of or against persons relating to a single Note or listing (such as holders of Notes relating to a single listing) may be joined in a single arbitration. The validity and effect of this paragraph (f) shall be determined exclusively by a court, and not by the NAF or any arbitrator. The arbitrator shall have no power to arbitrate any Claims on a class action basis or Claims brought in a purported representative capacity on behalf of the general public, other borrowers, or other persons similarly situated.
(g) If any portion of this Resolution of Disputes provision is deemed invalid or unenforceable for any reason, it shall not invalidate the remaining portions of this provision. However, if paragraph (f) of this Resolution of Disputes provision is deemed invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, then this entire Resolution of Disputes provision shall be deemed invalid and unenforceable. The terms of this Resolution of Disputes provision will prevail if there is any conflict between the Rules and this provision.
(h) THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES PROVISION, THEY ARE WAIVING ALL RIGHTS TO A TRIAL BY COURT OR JURY AS A MEANS OF RESOLVING ANY DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ARBITRATION WILL LIMIT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION, THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL, THE RIGHT TO CONDUCT FULL DISCOVERY, AND THE RIGHT TO APPEAL (EXCEPT AS PERMITTED IN PARAGRAPH (e) OR UNDER THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT).
(i) I understand that I may reject this Resolution of Disputes provision, in which case neither you nor I will have the right to elect arbitration. Rejection of this provision will not affect the remaining parts of this Agreement. To reject this Resolution of Disputes provision, I must send us written
16
notice of my rejection within 30 days after the date that this Note was made. I must include my name, address, and account number. The notice of rejection must be mailed to WebBank, x/x Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, Inc., 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Legal Department. This is the only way that I can reject this Resolution of Disputes provision.
(j) The parties acknowledge and agree that this arbitration agreement is made pursuant to a transaction involving interstate commerce and shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. This Resolution of Disputes provision shall survive the termination of this Note and the repayment of any or all amounts borrowed.
Arizona Residents: Notice: I understand that I may request that the initial disclosures prescribed in the Truth in Lending Act (15 United States Code sections 1601 through 1666j) be provided in Spanish before signing any loan documents.
Aviso Para Prestatarios En Arizona: Puedo solicitar que las divulgaciones iniciales prescritas en xx Xxx Truth in Lending Act (15 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx 0000 xxxxx 0000x) xxxx proporcionadas en español antes de firmar cualesquiera documentos de préstamos.
Missouri Residents: Oral agreements or commitments to loan money, extend credit or to forbear from enforcing repayment of a debt including promises to extend or renew such debt are not enforceable. To protect me (borrower) and you (creditor) from misunderstanding or disappointment, any agreements we reach covering such matters are contained in this writing, which is the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between us, except as we may later agree in writing to modify it.
By signing this Note, I acknowledge that I (i) have read and understand all terms and conditions of this Note, (ii) agree to the terms set forth herein, and (iii) acknowledge receipt of a completely filled-in copy of this Note.
|
Date: |
|
| |
|
| |||
|
[Borrower] | |||
|
| |||
|
| |||
|
Last Updated: |
|
| |
17