The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued a final rule “governing the use of pre-dispute arbitration agreements by providers of consumer financial products and services.”

From the CFPB

Pursuant to section 1028(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Public Law 111-203), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) has issued this final rule establishing 12 CFR part 1040 to regulate arbitration agreements in contracts for specified consumer financial product and services. First, the final rule prohibits covered providers of certain consumer financial products and services from using an agreement with a consumer that provides for arbitration of any future dispute between the parties to bar the consumer from filing or participating in a class action concerning the covered consumer financial product or service.  Second, the final rule requires covered providers that are involved in an arbitration pursuant to a pre-dispute arbitration agreement to submit specified arbitral records to the Bureau and also to submit specified court records.  The Bureau has also adopted official interpretations to the proposed regulation.

Read the full document on the Federal Register.