By Walter Saurack and James Regan
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, FINRA has extended the postponement of all in-person arbitration and mediation hearings scheduled through September 4, 2020. Parties may opt to proceed telephonically or by Zoom or panels may order that that the hearings will take place telephonically or by Zoom. Hearing postponement will not affect other case deadlines. All case deadlines will continue to apply and must be timely met unless the parties jointly agree otherwise. FINRA staff will contact affected parties to reschedule or discuss remote scheduling options.
FINRA will also waive postponement fees if parties who have an in-person hearing scheduled from September 7 through December 31, 2020 stipulate to adjourn that hearing. To avoid postponement fees, parties must provide written notice of the stipulation to adjourn more than 20 days prior to the first scheduled hearing date.