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CLAIMS COURT IF (1) THE CLAIMS QUALIFY FOR SMALL CLAIMS COURT; (2) <br />THE MATTER REMAINS IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT AT ALL TIMES; AND (3) THE <br />MATTER PROCEEDS ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL (NOT A CLASS OR <br />REPRESENTATIVE BASIS). ARBITRATION DOES NOT PROCEED BEFORE A JURY <br />AND MAY INVOLVE MORE LIMITED DISCOVERY THAN A COURT <br />PROCEEDING. ANY ARBITRATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL ONLY BE <br />ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. CLASS ARBITRATIONS, CLASS ACTIONS, PRIVATE <br />ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTIONS, AND CONSOLIDATION WITH OTHER <br />ARBITRATIONS ARE NOT PERMITTED. <br />The arbitrator's award or decision will not affect issues or claims involved in any proceeding <br />between Processor or Member Bank and any person or entity who is not a party to the <br />arbitration, The arbitrator may award monetary, declaratory or injunctive relief only in favor <br />of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief <br />warranted by that parry's individual claim. The arbitrator's award, if any, will not apply to <br />any person or entity that is not a party to the arbitration. However, nothing in this Section or <br />Merchant Agreement shall preclude any party from bringing issues to the attention of federal, <br />state or local agencies. Such agencies can, if the law allows, seek relief on your behalf. <br />Further, notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section or this Merchant Agreement <br />prohibits a party from applying to a court of competent jurisdiction for a temporary <br />restraining order, preliminary injunction, or other equitable relief, <br />The Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. § 1 el seq.) governs the interpretation and enforcement <br />of the arbitration provisions of this section. Arbitration will be administered by JAMS <br />(www is nsadncom). For claims greater than $250,000, the JAMS Comprehensive <br />Arbitration Rules and Procedures in effect at the time the arbitration is commenced will apply <br />(if no such ales arc in effect, JAMS default arbitration ales shall apply). For claims equal <br />to or less than $250,000, the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures in effect <br />at the time the arbitration is commenced will apply (if no such rules are in effect, JAMS <br />default arbitration rules shall apply). Unless the arbinator(s) determine thatjusticeor faimess <br />require otherwise; (i) any arbitration will proceed in Mus xtgee County, Georgia (although, <br />For the convenience of the Merchant or Guarantor (as applicable), any parry or its counsel <br />may participate telephonically); and (it) the arbitrator(s) will oversee limited discovery, <br />taking into account the amount in controversy and the patties' desire to keep proccodings <br />cost-effective and efficient. Any decision rendered in any arbitration proceeding shall be <br />final and binding on each of the parties to the arbitration and judgment may be entered <br />thereon in any court of competent jurisdiction. The parties will maintain the confidential <br />nature of the arbitration proceeding except as may be necessary to enforce any award or to <br />comply with applicable law. <br />If the total damage claims in an arbitration are $10,000 or less, not including Merchant's <br />attorney fees (`Small Arbitration Claim"), the arbitrator may, if the MERCHANT, prevails, <br />award the Merchant reasonable attorney fees, expert fees and costs (separate from Arbitration <br />Costs as defined below), but may not grant Processor its attorney fees, expert fees or costs <br />(separate from Arbitration Costs) unless the arbitrator determines that the Merchant's claim <br />was frivolous or brought in bad faith. In a Small Arbitration Claim case, ISO will pay all <br />arbitration filing, administrative and arbitrator costs (together, "Arbitration Costs'. The <br />Merchant must submit any request for payment of Arbitration Costs to JAMS at the same <br />time the Merchant submits its Demand for Arbitration, However, if the Merchant wants <br />Processor to advance the Arbitration Costs for a Small Arbitration Claim before filing, <br />Processor will do so at the Merchant's written request which must be sent to Processor at the <br />address in Section 18 above. <br />If the Merchant's total damage claims in an arbitration exceed $10,000, not including the <br />Merchant's attorney fees ("Large Arbitration Claim"), the arbitrator may award the <br />prevailing party its reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, or it may apportion attorneys' few <br />and costs between the Merchant and Processor (such foes and costs being separate from <br />Arbitration Costs). In a Large Arbitration Claim case, if the Merchant is able to demonstrate <br />that the Arbitration Costs will be prohibitive as compared to the costs of litigation, ISO will <br />pay as much of the Arbitration Costs as the arbitrator deems necessary to prevent the <br />arbitration from being cost -prohibitive. <br />Merchant hereby agrees that claims applicable to American Express maybe resolved through <br />arbitration as further described in the American Express Merchant Requirements Guide (the <br />"American Express Guide"). <br />A mutt, not the arbitrator, will decide any questions regarding the validity, scope and/or <br />enforceability ofthis Section <br />20.3 Class Action Waiver. <br />NOTE: PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY AS IT AFFECTS YOUR <br />RIGHTS AND THE RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES <br />MERCHANT AND GUARANTOR (IF APPLICABLE) ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE <br />THAT ALL DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO TIRS MERCHANT <br />AGREEMENT SHALL BE RESOLVED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS WITHOUT <br />RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION AND SHALL NOT BE <br />CONSOLIDATED WITH THE CLAIMS OF ANY OTHER PARTIES. <br />21. FINAL AGREEMENT. This Merchant Agreement and all applicable Addenda attached <br />hereto, is the complete and final agreement between Merchant, Processor and Member Bank <br />for the Card Program services covered by this Merchant Agreement and supersedes all prim <br />or contemporaneous negotiations, stipulations or agreements between them with respect <br />thereto. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between this Merchant Agreement and <br />any other agreement between Processor or any of its affiliates and Member Bank or any of <br />its affiliates (but not Merchant), such other agreement shall control with respect to such <br />conflict or inconsistency. If any provision of this Merchant Agreement is invalid or <br />unenforceable, the other provisions remain effective. <br />22. SEVERABILITY. If any term or provision of this Merchant Agreement is found to be <br />invalid, illegal or otherwise unenforceable, the same shall not affect the other terms or <br />provisions hereof or the whole of this Merchant Agreement, but such terms or provisions <br />shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to lender such tern or provision <br />enforceable, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced <br />accordingly, preserving to the fullest permissible extent the intent and agreements of the <br />parties herein set forth. No part or portion of20.2 (Arbitration) or Section 20.3 (Class Action <br />Waiver) shall be deemed so integral to either this Agreement as a whole, or to the remaining <br />parts or pardons of Sections 20.2 or 20.3 hereof, that the unenforoeability of that part or <br />portion should have any impact on or render the remainder unenforceable, <br />23. CONTINUING GUARANTY. <br />23.1 As a primary inducement to Processor to enter into the Merchant Agreement, and <br />to approve the Merchant Application of Merchant, the Guarantor(s), individually and <br />severally, who signed on the Guarantor signature line(s) on the Merchant Application, agree <br />to be bound by all terms and provisions of the Merchant Agreement to the same extent and <br />in the same manner as Merchant, and unconditionally and irrevocably, personally guarantee <br />the continuing full and faithful performance and payment by Merchant of each and all of <br />Merchant's duties and obligations to Processor and Member Bank under the Merchant <br />Agreement or any other agreement currently in effect or in the future entered into between <br />Merchant or its principals and Processor or Member Bank, as such agreements now exist or <br />are amended from time to time, with or without notice to Guarantor(s). <br />23.2 Merchant and Gu namor(s) further agree to be bound by the terms and provisions <br />ofany Merchant Agreement between Processor or Member Bank and any Merchant Affiliate, <br />regardless of whether such agreement currently exists or is executed, amended or supplement <br />at some future date. Merchant and Guammor(s) unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee <br />the full payment and performance of well and all duties and obligations owed to Processor <br />or Member Bank by Merchant Affiliate pursuant to any Merchant Agreement. The <br />provisions of Section 23.3 apply to the guarantee by Merchant and Ouaranton s) of the <br />Merchant Affiliate's obligations to Processor or Member Bank under any Merchant Card <br />Processing Agreement. <br />23.3 Guarantors) understands that Processor, without notice to Guaantor(s), may from <br />time to time renew, or extend the Merchant Agreement, modify rates, limits, charges and fees, <br />or modify the amount or type of services provided to Merchant all of which may increase the <br />Guarantor's obligations under this Guaranty, Guarantors) further understands that Processor <br />may proceed directly against Guarantor(s) without first exhausting Processor's remedies <br />against Merchant, any other person or entity responsible to Processor or any security held by <br />Processor. This Guaranty is a continuing guaranty and will not be discharged or affected by <br />the release or discharge of Merchant or the death of the Gumantor(s). This Guaranty will <br />bind all heirs, administrators, and representatives of the Guarmtor(s) and may be enforced <br />by or for (he benefit of any successor of Processor. To the fullest extent permissible under <br />applicable law, Guamntor(s) waives any and all rights of subrogation, reimbursement or <br />indemnity derived from Merchant, all other rights and defenses available to Merchant, and <br />all other rights and defenses available to Guarantor(s). This Guaranty may not be otherwise <br />revoked, suspended, withdrawn or terminated without the express written consent of <br />Processor. <br />24. AUTHORIZED USERS. To the extent Merchant is granted electronic access to any <br />systems or portals of Processor, Merchant shall be responsible for (i) ensuring that only <br />authorized users of such systems or portals access the some; (ii) keeping all login, user <br />names, and passwords confidential; and (iii) promptly notifying Processor of any <br />unauthorized access of such login, user names, or passwords; and (iv) all actions taken by <br />anyone using such owns, login, user names, or passwords, even if such actions were not <br />authorized by Merchant. <br />25.TAXES. Merchant shall be solely responsible for the calculation, collection, and <br />remittance of any sales tax imposed by any government authority in connection with the <br />provision of Merchant's goods or services. Unless Merchant is otherwise exempt (and can <br />prove such exemption to Processor's satisfaction), Merchant agrees to pay all taxes imposed <br />on the services, equipment, or other property provided to Merchant pursuant to this <br />Agreement, <br />26. RELATIONSHIP OF TILE PARTIES. Merchant designates Processor as its agent to <br />receive payments for transactions processed pursuant to this Card Services Agreement. <br />Processor, however, shall not be considered a partner or fiduciary to Merchant, and nothing <br />in this Merchant Agreement or the rendition of services related to this Merchant Agreement <br />shall be deemed to create a joint venture, partnership, or fiduciary relationship between or <br />among the parties. Rather, the relationships between Member Bank and Merchant, and <br />between Processor and Merchant, are arm's length commercial relationships. <br />27. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. <br />Important Mote: Merchant acknowledges and agrees that Member Bank and its affiliates <br />have no obligation or liability whatsoever for: (1) the products and Services described <br />Page 8 of 10 <br />UNI V MERAGM'I' v22 o421 <br />