Terms & Conditions
Last Updated: October 2024
Before accessing or using the Sheltering Arms Institute website and/or portal maintained and offered by Sheltering Arms Institute (“Sheltering Arms”, “Sheltering Arms Institute”, “we,” “us” or “our”) at https://shelteringarmsinstitute.com (collectively referred to as our “Website” and/or “Services”), you (the “User” or “you”) confirm that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”). Please read these Terms carefully and consider printing a copy for your records.
IF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS, DO NOT ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICES.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SECTION 14 OF THESE TERMS, BELOW, CONTAINS PROVISIONS THAT GOVERN HOW CLAIMS THAT YOU AND SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE MAY HAVE AGAINST EACH OTHER WILL BE RESOLVED. IN PARTICULAR, IT CONTAINS AN ARBITRATION AGREEMENT WHICH WILL, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, REQUIRE YOU TO SUBMIT CLAIMS THAT YOU HAVE AGAINST SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE TO BINDING AND FINAL ARBITRATION. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW UNLESS YOU OPT OUT OF THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT IN SECTION 14 OF THESE TERMS: (i) YOU WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED TO PURSUE CLAIMS AND SEEK RELIEF AGAINST SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION OR PROCEEDING; AND (ii) YOU ARE WAIVING YOUR RIGHT TO SEEK RELIEF IN A COURT OF LAW AND TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL ON YOUR CLAIMS. THE ARBITRATION PROVISIONS SET FORTH IN SECTION 14 OF THESE TERMS COULD AFFECT YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PENDING CLASS ACTION LITIGATION. PLEASE SEE SECTION 14 FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE ARBITRATION PROVISIONS, INCLUDING THE ARBITRATION PROVISIONS’ IMPACT ON THE PENDING CLASS LITIGATION AND HOW TO OPT OUT OF ARBITRATION. THESE TERMS LIMIT THE REMEDIES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE EVENT OF A DISPUTE.
We may revise and amend these Terms in our sole discretion with or without prior notice to you. If we make any material changes to these Terms, we will us reasonable efforts to provide advance notice to you via email at the address maintained on file with Sheltering Arms Institute. Any use of the Services by you following a change to these Terms will be considered acceptance of these Terms as changed or modified. Please refer back to these Terms regularly to check for changes or updates.
The Services are intended solely for natural persons who are eighteen (18) years of age or older, and any registration by, use of, or access to the Services by any person under 18 is unauthorized and in violation of these Terms. We may terminate your use of the Services without notice if we believe you are less than 18 years old. By using the Services, you represent and warrant that, you are a natural person, you are 18 or older, and that you will abide by all of the terms and conditions of these Terms.
Without our prior written consent, you may not:
We may terminate or disable your access to these Services for any reason, with or without cause, including if we believe that you have violated or acted inconsistently with these Terms.
Parts of the Services may be accessed only by registering for an account and creating a password. Keep your password secure. You are responsible for the activities on your account. You represent, warrant, and agree that no materials of any kind submitted through your account or otherwise posted or shared by you through the Services will violate or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including without limitation any copyright, trademark, patent, privacy, publicity, or other personal or intellectual property rights; or contain libelous, defamatory, or otherwise unlawful material. You will notify us promptly if you discover any unauthorized use of your account. We are not responsible for any losses resulting from unauthorized use of your account.
In addition, you agree not to use the Services to:
As between us and you, all content made available on or through the Services, whether uploaded, published, or displayed by us, including designs, text, graphics, pictures, video, information, software, music, sound and other files, and their selection and arrangement, except as provided in Section 9 (Third Party Links & Ads) is the property of Sheltering Arms Institute (collectively the “Sheltering Arms Institute Content”). To the best of our knowledge, we use only content that we own or have permission to use. No Sheltering Arms Institute Content may be modified, copied, distributed, framed, reproduced, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted, transmitted, or sold in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, without our prior written permission. Unless explicitly stated in these Terms, nothing in these Terms shall be construed as conferring any license to intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, implication, or otherwise to you.
You are solely responsible for the information that you post on or through the Services and your conduct regarding the Services. By posting information to or through the Services, you agree to (a) provide accurate, current, and complete information; (b) maintain the security of your password and identification, to the extent you are provided a password and identification; (c) promptly notify us of any changes to information or circumstances that could affect your eligibility to continue using the Services; and (d) be fully responsible for all use of your account and for any actions that take place using your account.
To the extent required by applicable law, we ensure that we make the proper disclosures and obtain appropriate consent in sending communications to you or otherwise contacting you.
Trademarks
The “Sheltering Arms Institute” name and all associated graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and service names are registered trademarks, trademarks, tradenames, or trade dress in the United States. Sheltering Arms Institute’s trademarks, tradenames, and trade dress may not be used, including as part of trademarks or as part of domain names, in connection with any product or service in any manner that is likely to cause confusion and may not be copied, imitated, or used, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Sheltering Arms Institute.
Submissions
You acknowledge and agree that any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, feedback, or other information (“Submissions”), provided by you to us through the Services are non-confidential and shall become the sole property of Sheltering Arms Institute. Sheltering Arms Institute shall own exclusive rights, including all intellectual property rights, and shall be entitled to the unrestricted use and dissemination of these Submissions for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, without acknowledgment or compensation to you.
Copyright Complaints
If you believe that any material on the Services infringes upon any copyright which you own or control, you may send a written notification of such infringement to our designated agent as set forth below:
Sheltering Arms Institute Attn: Legal Risk Manager 2000 Wilkes Ridge Drive, Richmond VA 23233 (804) 764-1000
To meet the notice requirements under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the notification must be a written communication including the following:
The Services may contain links to third-party websites and services, and/or display advertisements for third parties (collectively, “Third-Party Links & Ads”). Where the Services contain Third-Party Links & Ads, these links are provided for your information and convenience only. We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources. Sheltering Arms Institute does not review, approve, endorse or make any promises with respect to Third-Party Links & Ads. You use Third-Party Links & Ads at your own risk and should apply a suitable level of caution and discretion in doing so. When you click on any of the Third-Party Links & Ads, the applicable third party’s terms and policies apply, not these Terms.
We reserve the right to change any and all content within the Services and any service offered through the Services at any time without notice.
We provide the Services “AS IS” and assume no responsibility for any failure to provide the Services to you. The Services may be temporarily unavailable from time to time for maintenance or other reasons. We may discontinue the Services or any goods or services available through the Services at any time and for any reason. We are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone or cable network or lines, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of email, or technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or on or through the Services, including injury or damage to Users or to any other person’s devices related to or resulting from use of the Services.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, under no circumstances will we be responsible for any loss or damage, including any loss or damage to any user data, financial damages, lost profits, loss of business, or personal injury or death, resulting from anyone’s use of the Services. YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS AND SATISFACTORY QUALITY.
EXCEPT IN JURISDICTIONS WHERE SUCH PROVISIONS ARE RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED, IN NO EVENT WILL SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE OR ANY OF ITS DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR LOST DATA ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES OR ANY OF CONTENT OR OTHER MATERIALS ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THE SERVICES, EVEN IF ANY OF US IS AWARE OF OR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, OUR LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER, AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION, WILL AT ALL TIMES BE LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU TO US FOR THE SERVICES OR PRODUCT AT ISSUE IN THE THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM OR $100. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IF NO FEES ARE PAID TO US FOR A SERVICE OR PRODUCT, YOU SHALL BE LIMITED TO, AT MOST, INJUNCTIVE RELIEF ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY OTHER DAMAGES, REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE OF ACTION.
NOTHING IN THESE TERMS SHALL LIMIT OR EXCLUDE OUR LIABILITY FOR: (i) DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY RESULTING FROM OUR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT; (ii) FRAUD OR FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATIONS; OR (iii) ANY OTHER LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
By using the Services, you agree that these Terms shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
For any cause of action initiated against Sheltering Arms Institute relating to these Terms, you and Sheltering Arms Institute agree to submit to the exclusive and personal jurisdiction of the courts located in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. If any provision of these Terms is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, then we nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the intentions reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of these Terms shall remain in full force and effect. The language of these Terms shall be construed as to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against any party.
Please read this Arbitration Agreement carefully. It is part of your contract with Sheltering Arms Institute and affects your rights. It contains procedures for MANDATORY BINDING ARBITRATION AND A CLASS ACTION WAIVER.
Scope of Arbitration Agreement (“Arbitration Agreement”). You acknowledge and agree that any dispute or claim relating in any way to your access or use of the Services or to any other aspect of your relationship with Sheltering Arms Institute will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that (1) you may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify, so long as the matter remains in such court and advances only on an individual (non-class, non-representative) basis; and (2) you or Sheltering Arms Institute may seek equitable relief in court for infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights (such as trademarks, trade dress, domain names, trade secrets, copyrights, and patents). This Arbitration Agreement shall apply, without limitation, to all claims that arose before this or any prior Agreement. NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, THERE MAY BE LAWSUITS AGAINST SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE ALLEGING CLASS, COLLECTIVE, AND/OR REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMS. SUCH CLAIMS, IF SUCCESSFUL, COULD RESULT IN SOME MONETARY RECOVERY TO YOU. THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH CLASS, COLLECTIVE, AND/OR REPRESENTATIVE LAWSUITS DOES NOT MEAN THAT SUCH LAWSUITS WILL ULTIMATELY SUCCEED. BUT IF YOU AGREE TO ARBITRATION WITH Sheltering Arms Institute, YOU ARE AGREEING IN ADVANCE THAT YOU WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN OR SEEK TO RECOVERY MONETARY OR OTHER RELIEF UNDER SUCH CLASS, COLLECTIVE, AND/OR REPRESENTATIVE LAWSUITS. INSTEAD, BY AGREEING TO ARBITRATION, YOU MAY BRING YOUR CLAIMS AGAINST Sheltering Arms Institute IN AN INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION PROCEEDING. IF SUCCESSFUL ON SUCH CLAIMS, YOU COULD BE AWARDED MONEY OR OTHER RELIEF BY AN ARBITRATOR.
Arbitration Rules and Forum. This Arbitration Agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act in all respects. To begin an arbitration proceeding, you must send a letter requesting arbitration and describing your claim to our registered agent, Risk Manager – 2000 Wilkes Ridge Drive, Richmond VA 23233. The arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its rules, including the AAA’s Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes. The AAA’s rules are available at www.adr.org or by calling the AAA at 1-800-778-7879. Payment of all filing, administration, and arbitration fees will be governed by the AAA’s rules. We will reimburse those fees for claims totaling less than $10,000 unless the arbitrator determines the claims are frivolous. Likewise, Sheltering Arms Institute will not seek attorneys’ fees and costs in arbitration unless the arbitrator determines the claims are frivolous. If the AAA is not available to arbitrate, the parties will select an alternative arbitral forum.
Arbitrator Powers. The arbitrator, and not any federal, state, or local court or agency, shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability or formation of this Arbitration Agreement including, but not limited to any claim that all or any part of this Arbitration Agreement is void or voidable. The arbitration will decide the rights and liabilities, if any, of you and Sheltering Arms Institute. The dispute will not be consolidated with any other matters or joined with any other cases or parties. The arbitrator will have the authority to grant motions dispositive of all or part of any claim or dispute. The arbitrator will have the authority to award monetary damages and to grant any non-monetary remedy or relief available to an individual under applicable law, the arbitral forum’s rules, and these Terms. The arbitrator will issue a written award and statement of decision describing the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based, including the calculation of any damages awarded. The arbitrator has the same authority to award relief on an individual basis that a judge in a court of law would have. The award of the arbitrator is final and binding on you and Sheltering Arms Institute.
Waiver of Jury Trial. YOU AND Sheltering Arms Institute EACH KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS TO SUE IN COURT AND RECEIVE A JUDGE OR JURY TRIAL. You and Sheltering Arms Institute are instead electing to have claims and disputes resolved by arbitration. An arbitrator can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court and must follow these Terms as a court would. However, there is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is limited. In any litigation between you and Sheltering Arms Institute over whether to vacate or enforce an arbitration award, you and Sheltering Arms Institute waive all rights to a jury trial, and elect instead to have a judge resolve the dispute.
Waiver of Class or Consolidated Actions. ALL CLAIMS AND DISPUTES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT MUST BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT ON A CLASS BASIS. CLAIMS OF MORE THAN ONE CUSTOMER OR USER CANNOT BE ARBITRATED OR LITIGATED JOINTLY OR CONSOLIDATED WITH THOSE OF ANY OTHER CUSTOMER OR USER. If, however, this waiver of class or consolidated actions is deemed invalid or unenforceable, neither you nor Sheltering Arms Institute is entitled to arbitration. Instead, all claims and disputes will then be resolved in a court as set forth in Section 13 (Disputes, Governing Law, Venue and Jurisdiction) above.
Opt Out. You may opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. If you do so, neither you nor Sheltering Arms Institute can force the other to arbitrate. To opt out, you must notify Sheltering Arms Institute in writing no later than 30 days after first becoming subject to this Arbitration Agreement. Your notice must include your name and address, your Sheltering Arms Institute username (if any), the email address you used to set up your Sheltering Arms Institute account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. You must send your opt-out notice to: info@shelteringarms.com and 2000 Wilkes Ridge Drive, Richmond VA 23233. If you opt out of this Arbitration Agreement, all other parts of these Terms will continue to apply to you. Opting out of this Arbitration Agreement has no effect on any previous, other, or future arbitration agreements that you may have with us.
Exclusive Venue. To the extent the parties are permitted under these Terms to initiate litigation in a court, both you and Sheltering Arms Institute agree that all claims and disputes arising out of or relating to the Agreement will be litigated exclusively in the state or federal courts located in the applicable county within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold us, our subsidiaries and affiliates, and each of their directors, officers, agents, contractors, partners, and employees, harmless from and against any loss, liability, claim, demand, damages, costs (including attorneys’ fees), and expenses, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Services or any violation of these Terms.
PLEASE PRINT A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR YOUR RECORDS AND PLEASE CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY FOR ANY CHANGES TO THIS AGREEMENT.
The following Sections survive the termination of these Terms: 8 through 16.
Updated: October 2024
