Lopez v. CHARLES SCHWAB & CO., INC.

Opinion

RIVERA, J.

Plaintiff Cynthia M. Lopez appeals the judgment entered in this action after an arbitration award. We conclude the trial court erred in granting defendant Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.’s (Schwab) motion to compel arbitration. Accordingly, we reverse.

I. BACKGROUND

Schwab is a securities broker, and as part of its business opens and maintains trading accounts for its clients and executes transfers of securities and buy and sell orders. On January 24, 2000, at Schwab’s Albuquerque branch, Lopez applied to open an account by filling out two forms. The first was entitled “Open a…