Disputes.
Any disputes arising out of or regarding our Privacy Policy and/or these Terms of Service are subject to our Terms of Service and will be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, applicable to agreements made and performed in Maryland. Except where prohibited by law, you further agree that (1) any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of this Privacy Policy shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by final and binding arbitration under the rules of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. [“JAMS”] and held at the JAMS regional office located in Rockville, Maryland. The remedy for any claim shall be limited to actual damages, and in no event shall any party be entitled to recover punitive, exemplary, consequential, or incidental damages, including attorney’s fees or other such related costs of bringing a claim or seek injunctive relief or any other equitable claim. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
All disputes between you and CIGC will be resolved by BINDING ARBITRATION. YOU HEREBY AGREE TO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend your rights under this contract, except for matters that may be taken to small claims court. Your rights will be determined by a neutral arbitrator, NOT a judge or jury. You agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including with respect to the interpretation of any provision of this Agreement or concerning the performance or obligations of CIGC or you, shall be resolved by mandatory and binding arbitration submitted to JAMS in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules at the request of either CIGC or you pursuant to the following conditions:
(a) Place of Arbitration Hearings. Unless you elect to conduct the arbitration by telephone or written submission, an in-person arbitration hearing will conducted at a JAMS facility in your area or at a JAMS facility in or near Rockville, Maryland.
(b) Selection of Arbitrator shall be made pursuant to JAMS’ Streamlined Arbitration Rules & Procedures or JAMS’ Comprehensive Arbitration Rules & Procedures, depending on the amount of the claim as specified herein.
(c) Conduct of Arbitration. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single neutral arbitrator under JAMS’ Streamlined Arbitration Rules & Procedures. For claims exceeding $5,000.00, the arbitration shall be conducted under JAMS’ Comprehensive Arbitration Rules & Procedures Subject to the applicable JAMS procedure, the arbitrator shall allow reasonable discovery in the forms permitted by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, to the extent consistent with the purpose of the arbitration. The arbitrator(s) shall have no power or authority to amend or disregard any provision of this section or any other provision of these Terms of Service, except as necessary to comply with JAMS’ Policy on Consumer Arbitrations Pursuant to Pre-Dispute Clauses Minimum Standards of Procedural Fairness. The arbitration hearing shall be commenced promptly and conducted expeditiously. If more than one day is necessary, the arbitration hearing shall be conducted on consecutive days unless otherwise agreed in writing by the parties.
(d) Findings and Conclusions. The arbitrator(s) shall, after reaching judgment and award, prepare and distribute to the parties written findings of fact and conclusions of law relevant to such judgment and award and containing an opinion setting forth the reasons for the giving or denial of any award. The award of the arbitrator(s) shall be final and binding on the parties, and judgment thereon may be entered in a court of competent jurisdiction.
(e) Costs and Fees. You will be subject to a $250 filing fee to initiate an arbitration. To the extent permitted by JAMS procedures, each party shall bear its own costs and expenses and an equal share of the arbitrators’ and administrative fees of arbitration, with CIGC remaining responsible for its share of costs, expenses and fees plus any costs, expenses and fees required of it under JAMS procedures.
(f) Litigation. The Federal Arbitration Act and federal arbitration law apply to this Agreement. Either party also may, without waiving any remedy under this Agreement, seek from any court having jurisdiction any interim or provisional relief that is necessary to protect the rights or property of that party, pending the establishment of the arbitral tribunal (or pending the arbitral tribunal’s determination of the merits of the controversy). We also both agree that you or we may bring suit in court to enjoin infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights.
(g) Other. The Federal Arbitration Act and federal arbitration law apply to these Terms and Conditions.
(h) Subject to the requirement for arbitration hereunder, in any action arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy, the laws of the State of Maryland shall be applied, without regard to choice of laws.
(i) Class Action Waiver. The parties further expressly waive any ability to maintain any class action in any forum. Any arbitration, claim or other proceedings by or between you and CIGC shall be conducted on an individual basis and not in any class action, mass action, or on a consolidated or representative basis. You further agree that the arbitrator shall have no authority to award class-wide relief or to combine or aggregate similar claims or unrelated transactions. You acknowledge and agree that this agreement specifically prohibits you from commencing arbitration proceedings as a representative of others. If for any reason a claim proceeds in court rather than in arbitration, we each waive any right to a jury trial. Any claim that all or part of this Class Action Waiver is unenforceable, unconscionable, void, or voidable may be determined only by a court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator.
