[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-17257] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: July 15, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-34348; File No. SR-NASD-93-75] Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Referral of Matters by Arbitrators for Disciplinary Investigation July 11, 1994. On May 25, 1994, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (``NASD'' or ``Association'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'')\1\ a proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act''),\2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\3\ The proposed rule change amends Section 5 of the Code of Arbitration Procedure (``Code'')\4\ to specify that arbitrators, at the conclusion of a proceeding, may refer matters arising or discovered during the course of an arbitration proceeding for disciplinary investigation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\The NASD initially submitted the proposed rule change on December 16, 1993. However, on May 25, 1994, the NASD filed Amendment No. 1, which amended and superseded the original rule filing. \2\15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1)(1988). \3\17 CFR 240.19b-4 (1993). \4\NASD Manual, Code of Arbitration Procedure, Part I, Section 5, (CCH) 3705. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notice of the proposed rule change, together with the substance of the proposal, was provided by issuance of a Commission release (Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34146, June 2, 1994) and by publication in the Federal Register (59 FR 29647, June 8, 1994). One comment letter was received.\5\ This order approves the proposed rule change. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\See letter from James F. Fotenos, Esq., Fotenos & Suttle, P.C. to Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary, SEC, dated July 1, 1994 (``Fotenos Letter''). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In its filing, the NASD stated that potential violations uncovered during arbitration hearings should be investigated by the NASD as part of its comprehensive regulatory program. While customers who suffer a financial loss as a result of misconduct by their registered representative may bring arbitration actions, they often do not pursue formal complaints with a self-regulatory organization (``SRO'') necessary to trigger an investigation of the potential violation. Further, while the filing of an arbitration complaint will alert an SRO to the existence of a potential violation,\6\ because customer complaints in arbitration often do not allege or disclose sufficient information to indicate obvious misconduct on the part of a respondent, they may not trigger a disciplinary investigation. Indeed, in such cases, violations of the securities laws or the NASD's rules may not be apparent until an arbitration hearing occurs and the parties testify and introduce evidence about the relevant events. The NASD stated in its filing that in some cases, it never is made aware of securities law violations or violations of the NASD's rules, notwithstanding the fact that the financial injury to the customer resulting from the violations is the subject of an arbitration proceeding. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\The filing of a customer-initiated arbitration complaint against an associated person alleging damages of $10,000 or more triggers a requirement of the member or associated person to amend the associated person's Form U-4 or U-5, as appropriate. Information supplied pursuant to such an amendment will be entered into the Central Registration Depository and will also be forwarded to the appropriate NASD District office for preliminary investigation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The NASD also stated in its filing that it has observed that arbitrators seldom refer for disciplinary investigation matters which come to their attention during the course of an arbitration proceeding. Because the NASD believes that arbitration matters, and the evidentiary material related to or produced in such matters, constitute a valuable source of information concerning potential violations of the NASD's rules and the federal securities laws, it believes that bringing such information to the attention of the Association's regulatory staff should improve the efficacy of the NASD's regulatory function. The NASD stated in its filing that it believes that specifying a mechanism in the Code for arbitrators to bring such information to the attention of the NASD's regulatory staff for investigation will serve the public interest by ensuring that potential violations of the NASD's rules and the federal securities laws are not overlooked. In addition, the NASD believes that it is important for arbitrators to understand that the arbitration process is for the resolution of disputes between the securities industry and others, and that there is also a regulatory apparatus separate from the arbitration process which is designed to address misconduct which affects the public interest and the integrity of the financial markets. Thus, to the extent arbitrators are aware that they may refer matters, in addition to or in lieu of awarding punitive damages as part of awards,\7\ the fairness of the arbitration process will be enhanced. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \7\The NASD, in connection with this rule filing, is not expressing any official position with respect to the ability of arbitrators to award punitive damages. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The proposed amendment to Section 5 specifies that if any matter comes to the attention of an arbitrator during the course of a proceeding the arbitrator may initiate a referral of the matter to the Association for disciplinary investigation. The proposed amendment also specifies, however, that any such referral should be initiated by an arbitrator only after final disposition of the matter through settlement or award. Although the NASD is not setting forth a specific procedure for such referrals, the NASD stated in its filing that it contemplates that arbitrators will direct referrals to the Association through the Arbitration Department Staff and the Director of Arbitration. One commenter objected to the proposed rule change on the grounds that it would cause arbitrators to believe that they must make disciplinary referrals in all instances in which they find for claimants alleging that a member firm or associated person has violated the NASD's rules or securities laws.\8\ This commenter stated that the effect of the proposed rule change would be to compromise the independence of arbitrators. The Commission disagrees. The Commission notes that the amendment provides that referral of any matter by an arbitrator is permissive rather than mandatory. Futher, the Commission believes that, because the disciplinary process is intended to address misconduct which affects the public interest and the integrity of the financial markets, the process is enhanced when the NASD receives notice of violations from an important and reliable source of information. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \8\See Fotenos Letter, supra n. 5. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act\9\ because it will encourage arbitrators to bring information concerning potential violations of the Association's rules and the federal securities laws to the attention of the NASD's regulatory staff for investigation. This, in turn, will serve the public interest by enhancing the ability of the NASD's regulatory staff to take disciplinary action against perpetrators of conduct adversely affecting the public interest and the integrity of financial markets. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \9\15 U.S.C. 78o-3. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- It Is Therefore Ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, that File No. SR-NASD-93-75 be, and hereby is, approved. For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority, 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary. [FR Doc. 94-17257 Filed 7-14-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-M