(a) When Offer Allowed; No Stay of Proceeding
A Respondent who is notified that a proceeding has been instituted against him or her may propose in writing an offer of settlement at any time. If a Respondent proposes an offer of settlement before the hearing on the merits has begun, the making of an offer of settlement shall not stay the proceeding, unless otherwise decided by the Hearing Officer. If a Respondent proposes an offer of settlement after the hearing on the merits has begun, the making of an offer of settlement shall not stay the proceeding, unless otherwise decided by the Hearing Panel or, if applicable, the Extended Hearing Panel.
(b) Settlement Offer Shall Conform to Rule
A Respondent who makes an offer of settlement shall do so in conformity with the provisions of this Rule and shall not make such an offer of settlement frivolously or propose a sanction inconsistent with the seriousness of the violations to be found.
(c) Content and Signature Requirements
An offer of settlement shall be in writing and signed by the person making the offer, and, if the person is represented by counsel or a representative, signed also by the counsel or representative. The offer of settlement shall contain in reasonable detail:
(1) a statement describing the investigative or other origin of the disciplinary action;
(2) the specific statutory or rule provisions that the member or associated person is alleged to have violated;
(3) a statement containing the acts or practices which the member or associated person is alleged to have engaged in or omitted;
(4) a statement consenting to findings of fact and violations consistent with the statements contained in the offer of settlement required by paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3);
(5) a proposed sanction to be imposed that is consistent with FINRA's then current sanction guidelines or, if inconsistent with the sanction guidelines, a detailed statement supporting the proposed sanction;
(6) if applicable, a proposed permanent cease and desist order to be imposed that is consistent with the requirements of
Rule 9291(a) concerning the content, scope, and form of a permanent cease and desist order; and
(7) the effective date of any sanction(s) imposed, or a statement that the effective date of the sanction(s) will be a date to be determined by FINRA staff.
(d) Waiver
(1) If a Respondent submits an offer of settlement, by the submission such Respondent waives:
(A) any right of such Respondent to a hearing before a Hearing Panel or, if applicable, an Extended Hearing Panel, and any right of appeal to the National Adjudicatory Council, the SEC, and the courts, or any right otherwise to challenge or contest the validity of the order issued, if the offer of settlement and order of acceptance are accepted;
(B) any right of such Respondent to claim bias or prejudgment of the Chief Hearing Officer, Hearing Officer, a Hearing Panel or, if applicable, an Extended Hearing Panel, a Panelist on a Hearing Panel, or, if applicable, an Extended Hearing Panel, the General Counsel, the National Adjudicatory Council, or any member of the National Adjudicatory Council, in connection with such person's or body's participation in discussions regarding the terms and conditions of the offer of settlement and the order of acceptance, or other consideration of the offer of settlement and order of acceptance, including acceptance, or rejection of such offer of settlement and order of acceptance; and
(C) any right of such Respondent to claim that a person or body violated the ex parte prohibitions of
Rule 9143 or the separation of functions prohibitions of
Rule 9144, in connection with such person's or body's participation in discussions regarding the terms and conditions of the offer of settlement and the order of acceptance, or other consideration of the offer of settlement and order of settlement, including acceptance or rejection of such offer of settlement and order of acceptance.
(2) If an offer of settlement and an order of acceptance are rejected, the Respondent shall be bound by the waivers made in this paragraph (d) for conduct by persons or bodies occurring during the period beginning from the date the offer of settlement was submitted and ending upon the rejection of the offer of settlement and order of acceptance.
(e) Uncontested Offers of Settlement
If a Respondent makes an offer of settlement and the Department of Enforcement does not oppose it, the offer of settlement is uncontested. If an offer of settlement is determined to be uncontested by the Department of Enforcement before a hearing on the merits has begun, the Department of Enforcement shall transmit the uncontested offer of settlement and a proposed order of acceptance to the National Adjudicatory Council with its recommendation. If an offer of settlement is determined to be uncontested by the Department of Enforcement after a hearing on the merits has begun, the Department of Enforcement shall transmit the offer of settlement and a proposed order of acceptance to the Hearing Panel or, if applicable, the Extended Hearing Panel for acceptance or rejection. If accepted by the Hearing Panel or, if applicable, Extended Hearing Panel, the offer of settlement and the order of acceptance shall be forwarded to the National Adjudicatory Council to accept or reject.
(1) A proposed order of acceptance shall make findings of fact, including a statement of the rule, regulation, or statutory provision violated, and impose sanctions (including, if applicable, a permanent cease and desist order) consistent with the terms of the offer of settlement.
(2) Before an offer of settlement and an order of acceptance shall become effective, they shall be submitted to and accepted by the National Adjudicatory Council. The Review Subcommittee or the Office of Disciplinary Affairs may accept such offer of settlement and order of acceptance or refer them to the National Adjudicatory Council for acceptance or rejection by the National Adjudicatory Council. The Review Subcommittee may reject such offer of settlement and order of acceptance or refer them to the National Adjudicatory Council for acceptance or rejection by the National Adjudicatory Council.
(3) If the offer of settlement and order of acceptance are accepted by the National Adjudicatory Council, the Review Subcommittee, or the Office of Disciplinary Affairs, they shall become final and the Director of the Office of Disciplinary Affairs shall issue the order and notify the Office of Hearing Officers. The Department of Enforcement shall provide a copy of an issued order of acceptance to each FINRA member with which a Respondent is associated.
(f) Contested Offers of Settlement
If a Respondent makes an offer of settlement and the Department of Enforcement opposes it, the offer of settlement is contested. When the Department of Enforcement opposes an offer of settlement, the Respondent's written offer and the Department of Enforcement's written opposition shall be submitted to a Hearing Panel or, if applicable, an Extended Hearing Panel. The Hearing Panel or, if applicable, the Extended Hearing Panel, may order the Department of Enforcement and the Respondent to attend a settlement conference.
(1) If a contested offer of settlement is approved by the Hearing Panel or, if applicable, Extended Hearing Panel, the Hearing Officer shall draft an order of acceptance of the offer of settlement. The order of acceptance shall make findings of fact, including a statement of the rule, regulation, or statutory provision violated, and impose sanctions (including, if applicable, a permanent cease and desist order) consistent with the terms of the offer of settlement. The offer of settlement, any written opposition thereto, and the order of acceptance shall be forwarded to the National Adjudicatory Council to accept or reject.
(2) Before an offer of settlement and order of acceptance shall become effective, they shall be submitted to, and accepted by, the National Adjudicatory Council. The Review Subcommittee may accept or reject such offer of settlement and order of acceptance or refer them to the National Adjudicatory Council for acceptance or rejection by the National Adjudicatory Council.
(3) If the offer of settlement and order of acceptance are accepted by the National Adjudicatory Council or the Review Subcommittee, the General Counsel shall issue the order, notify the Office of Hearing Officers, and provide a copy of an issued order of acceptance to each FINRA member with which a Respondent is associated.
(g) Final Disciplinary Action of FINRA
The proceeding shall conclude as of the date the order of acceptance is issued. The order of acceptance shall constitute final disciplinary action of FINRA. The sanction shall take effect as set forth in the order.
(h) Rejection of Offer of Settlement
If an uncontested offer of settlement or an order of acceptance is rejected by the Hearing Panel or, if applicable, the Extended Hearing Panel, the Review Subcommittee, or the National Adjudicatory Council, the Respondent shall be notified in writing and the offer of settlement and proposed order of acceptance shall be deemed withdrawn. If a contested offer of settlement or an order of acceptance is rejected by the Hearing Panel or, if applicable, the Extended Hearing Panel, the Review Subcommittee, or the National Adjudicatory Council, the Respondent shall be notified in writing and the offer of settlement and proposed order of acceptance shall be deemed withdrawn. The rejected offer and proposed order of acceptance shall not constitute a part of the record in any proceeding against the Respondent making the offer.
(i) Disciplinary Proceeding With Multiple Respondents
When a disciplinary proceeding names multiple Respondents, settlement offers may be accepted or rejected as to any one or all of the Respondents submitting offers. The proceedings shall thereafter be terminated as to those Respondents whose offers of settlement are accepted, but such Respondents may be required to participate in any hearing conducted as to those Respondents that did not submit offers of settlement or whose offers of settlement were rejected.
(j) No Prejudice from Rejected Offer of Settlement
If an offer of settlement is rejected by a Hearing Panel or, if applicable, an Extended Hearing Panel, the Review Subcommittee, or the National Adjudicatory Council, the Respondent shall not be prejudiced by the offer, which may not be introduced into evidence in connection with the determination of the issues involved in the pending complaint or in any other proceeding.
