rodriguez de quijas argued march decided may petitioners securities investors signed standard customer agreement included agreement settle account disputes binding arbitration unless agreement found unenforceable federal state law investments turned sour petitioners brought suit district inter alios respondent brokerage firm alleging money lost unauthorized fraudulent transactions violation among things provisions securities act securities exchange act district ordered securities act claims submitted arbitration holding claims must proceed action pursuant ruling wilko swan agreement arbitrate securities act claims void act prohibits binding stipulation waive compliance provision act appeals reversed concluding arbitration agreement enforceable subsequent decisions reduced wilko obsolescence held predispute agreement arbitrate claims securities act enforceable resolution claims judicial forum required pp wilko overruled incorrectly decided inconsistent prevailing uniform construction federal statutes governing arbitration agreements setting business transactions see particularly express mcmahon declined read act identical act prohibit enforcement predispute agreements arbitrate stressed strong language arbitration act declaring federal policy favoring arbitration undesirable wilko mcmahon exist side side inconsistency odds principle acts construed harmoniously order discourage litigants manipulating allegations merely cast claims one rather securities law pp customary rule retroactive application law announced decision controls case bar appropriate although decision overrule wilko establishes new principle law ruling furthers purpose effect arbitration act without undermining securities act produce substantial inequitable results resort arbitration inherently undermine petitioners substantive rights securities act pp kennedy delivered opinion rehnquist white scalia joined stevens filed dissenting opinion brennan marshall blackmun joined post denis downey argued cause filed briefs petitioners theodore krebsbach argued cause respondent brief jeffrey friedman paul windels iii filed brief securities industry association et al amici curiae urging affirmance justice kennedy delivered opinion question whether predispute agreement arbitrate claims securities act unenforceable requiring resolution claims judicial forum petitioners individuals invested securities signed standard customer agreement broker included clause stating parties agreed settle controversies relating accounts binding arbitration complies specified procedures agreement arbitrate controversies unqualified unless found unenforceable federal state law customer agreement investments turned sour petitioners eventually sued respondent charge accounts alleging money lost unauthorized fraudulent transactions complaint pleaded various violations federal state law including claims securities act claims three sections securities exchange act district ordered claims submitted arbitration except raised securities act held latter claims must proceed action clear holding point wilko swan district reaffirmed ruling upon reconsideration also entered default judgment broker longer case appeals reversed concluding arbitration agreement enforceable subsequent decisions reduced wilko obsolescence rodriguez de quijas granted certiorari ii wilko case decided required determine whether agreement arbitrate future controversies constitutes binding stipulation waive compliance provision securities act nullified act considered language purposes legislative history securities act concluded agreement arbitrate void decision difficult one view competing legislative policy embodied arbitration act described easily reconcilable strongly favors enforcement agreements arbitrate means securing prompt economical adequate solution controversies recognized wilko obviously correct language prohibiting waiver compliance provision title easily read relate substantive provisions act without including remedy provisions scherk stevens dissenting rev read language way wilko however gave two reasons first rejected argument arbitration merely form trial used lieu trial law found instead permit waiver right select judicial forum favor arbitration arbitration lacks certainty suit law act enforce buyer rights second concluded securities act intended protect buyers securities often deal arm length equal terms sellers offering wider choice courts venue enjoyed participants business transactions making right select judicial forum particularly valuable feature securities act think reasons justify interpretation prohibits agreements arbitrate future disputes relating purchase securities characterization arbitration process wilko pervaded judge jerome frank called old judicial hostility arbitration kulukundis shipping amtorg trading view steadily eroded years beginning lower courts see scherk supra stevens dissenting citing cases erosion intensified recent decisions upholding agreements arbitrate federal claims raised securities exchange act see express mcmahon racketeer influenced corrupt organizations rico statutes see antitrust laws see mitsubishi motors soler see also dean witter reynolds byrd federal arbitration statute requires rigorously enforce agreements arbitrate moses cone memorial hospital mercury construction uestions arbitrability must addressed healthy regard federal policy favoring arbitration shift views arbitration away adopted wilko shown flat statement mitsubishi agreeing arbitrate statutory claim party forgo substantive rights afforded statute submits resolution arbitral rather judicial forum extent wilko rested suspicion arbitration method weakening protections afforded substantive law complainants fallen far step current strong endorsement federal statutes favoring method resolving disputes outmoded presumption disfavoring arbitration proceedings set one side becomes clear right select judicial forum wider choice courts essential features securities act properly construed bar waiver provisions critical waived rationale securities act intended place buyers securities equal footing sellers wilko identified two different kinds provisions securities act advance objective substantive provision placing seller burden proving lack scienter buyer alleges fraud see citing others procedural specific procedural improvements highlighted wilko statute broad venue provisions federal courts existence nationwide service process federal courts extinction requirement applied fraud suits brought federal courts diversity jurisdiction rather federal cause action grant concurrent jurisdiction state federal courts without possility possibility removal see citing sound basis construing prohibition waiving compliance provision securities act apply procedural provisions although first three measures facilitate suits buyers securities grant concurrent jurisdiction constitutes explicit authorization complainants waive protections filing suit state without possibility removal federal measures moreover present federal statutes interpreted prohibit enforcement predispute agreements arbitrate see express mcmahon supra construing securities exchange act see ibid construing rico statutes see mitsubishi motors soler supra construing antitrust laws see indeed mcmahon declined read securities exchange act language every respect act compare prohibit enforcement predispute agreements arbitrate conceivable distinction regard securities act securities exchange act former statute allows concurrent jurisdiction causes action latter statute provides exclusive federal jurisdiction even distinction thought make difference suggest arbitration agreements effect specialized kind clause scherk prohibited securities act since like provision concurrent jurisdiction serve advance objective allowing buyers securities broader right select forum resolving disputes whether judicial otherwise mcmahon explained length rejected wilko aversion arbitration forum resolving disputes securities transactions especially light relatively recent expansion securities exchange commission authority oversee regulate arbitration procedures need repeat arguments finally mcmahon stressed strong language arbitration act declares matter federal law arbitration agreements shall valid irrevocable enforceable save upon grounds exist law equity revocation contract statute party opposing arbitration carries burden showing congress intended separate statute preclude waiver judicial remedies waiver judicial remedies inherently conflicts underlying purposes statute justice frankfurter said dissent wilko true case nothing record us facts take judicial notice indicate arbitral system afford plaintiff rights entitled petitioners carried burden showing arbitration agreements enforceable securities act language quoted arbitration act also allows courts give relief party opposing arbitration presents claims agreement arbitrate resulted sort fraud overwhelming economic power provide grounds revocation contract mitsubishi avenue relief harmony securities act concern protect buyers securities removing disadvantages buyers labor dealings sellers wilko supra although petitioners suggest agreement arbitrate adhesive nature record contains factual showing sufficient support suggestion iii suggest appeals authority taken step renouncing wilko precedent direct application case yet appears rest reasons rejected line decisions appeals follow case directly controls leaving prerogative overruling decisions conclude wilko incorrectly decided inconsistent prevailing uniform construction federal statutes governing arbitration agreements setting business transactions although normally properly reluctant overturn decisions construing statutes done achieve uniform interpretation similar statutory language commissioner estate church correct seriously erroneous interpretation statutory language undermine congressional policy expressed legislation see boys markets retail clerks overruling sinclair refining atkinson purposes served overruling wilko decision also undesirable decisions wilko mcmahon continue exist side side inconsistency odds principle acts construed harmoniously constitute interrelated components federal regulatory scheme governing transactions securities ernst ernst hochfelder case example petitioners claims act subjected arbitration claim act permitted go arbitration required proceed result makes little sense similar claims based similar facts supposed arise within single federal regulatory scheme addition inconsistency wilko mcmahon undermines essential rationale harmonious construction two statutes discourage litigants manipulating allegations merely cast claims one securities laws rather another reasons therefore overrule decision wilko petitioners argue finally overrules wilko apply ruling retroactively facts case disagree general rule long standing law announced decision controls case bar see saint francis college schooner peggy cranch civil cases restricted rulings prospective application specific circumstances present chevron oil huson chevron approach customary rule retroactive application appropriate although decision overrule wilko establishes new principle law arbitration agreements securities act ruling furthers purposes effect arbitration act without undermining securities act today ruling moreover produce substantial inequitable results petitioners make serious allegation agreed arbitrate future disputes relating investment contracts reliance wilko holding agreements held unenforceable courts conclusion reinforced assessment resort arbitration process inherently undermine substantive rights afforded petitioners securities act judgment appeals affirmed carefully limited holding apply arbitration agreements made prior existence controversy see jackson concurring contrast courts uniformly concluded wilko apply submission arbitration existing disputes express mcmahon justice stevens justice brennan justice marshall justice blackmun join dissenting appeals refused follow wilko swan controlling precedent majority correctly acknowledges ante appeals therefore engaged indefensible brand judicial activism course subject restraint asked upset one precedents earlier opinion gives statutory provision concrete meaning congress elects amend ensuing decades duty respect congress work product strikingly similar duty federal courts respect work product final analysis justice vote case like depends views respective lawmaking responsibilities congress conflicting policy interests judges confidence ability fashion public policy less hesitant change law us inclined give wide latitude views voters representatives matters cf boyle technologies pointed years ago scherk dissenting opinion rev valid policy textual arguments sides regarding interrelation federal securities arbitration acts see ante none arguments however carries sufficient weight tip balance judicial legislative authority overturn interpretation act congress settled many years respectfully dissent footnotes cf mcmahon stevens concurring part dissenting part fter statute construed acquires meaning clear judicial gloss drafted congress position reflects respect congress role see boys market retail clerks black dissenting compelling need preserve courts limited resources see cardozo nature judicial process indeed first debated arguments opinion majority overrules compare wilko frankfurter dissenting recently revisited mcmahon supra action based upon securities exchange act compare blackmun concurring part dissenting part