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Terms and Conditions

AGREEMENT - This document, along with any other documents we give you pertaining to your account(s), is a contract that establishes rules which control your account(s) with us. Please read this carefully. If you sign the signature card or open or continue to have your account with us, you agree to these rules. You will receive a separate schedule of rates, qualifying balances, and fees if they are not included in this document. If you have any questions, please call us.

This agreement is subject to applicable federal laws and the laws of the state of California (except to the extent that this agreement can and does vary such rules or laws). The body of state and federal law that governs our relationship with you, however, is too large and complex to be reproduced here. The purpose of this document is to:

  1. summarize some laws that apply to common transactions;
  2. establish rules to cover transactions or events which the law does not regulate;
  3. establish rules for certain transactions or events which the law regulates but permits variation by agreement; and
  4. give you disclosures of some of our policies to which you may be entitled or in which you may be interested.

If any provision of this document is found to be unenforceable according to its terms, all remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. We may permit some variations from our standard agreement, but we must agree to any variation in writing either on the signature card for your account or in some other document.

As used in this document the words "we," "our," and "us" mean the financial institution and the words "you" and "your" mean the account holder(s) and anyone else with the authority to deposit, withdraw, or exercise control over the funds in the account. The headings in this document are for convenience or reference only and will not govern the interpretation of the provisions. Unless it would be inconsistent to do so, words and phrases used in this document should be construed so the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.

LIABILITY - You agree, for yourself (and the person or entity you represent if you sign as a representative of another) to the terms of this account and the schedule of charges. You authorize us to deduct these charges directly from the account balance as accrued. You will pay any additional reasonable charges for services you request which are not covered by this agreement.

Each of you also agrees to be jointly and severally (individually) liable for any account shortage resulting from charges or overdrafts, whether caused by you or another with access to this account. This liability is due immediately, and can be deducted directly from the account balance whenever sufficient funds are available. You have no right to defer payment of this liability, and you are liable regardless of whether you signed the item or benefited from the charge or overdraft. This includes liability for our costs to collect the deficit including, to the extent permitted by law, our reasonable attorneys' fees.

DEPOSITS - We will give only provisional credit until collection is final for any items, other than cash, we accept for deposit (including items drawn "on us"). Actual credit for deposits of, or payable in, foreign currency will be at the exchange rate in effect on final collection in U.S. dollars. We are not responsible for transactions by mail or outside depository until we actually record them. We will treat and record all transactions received after our "daily cutoff time" on a business day we are open, or received on a day we are not open for business, as if initiated on the next following business day that we are open.

WITHDRAWALS - Unless clearly indicated otherwise on the account records, any of you, acting alone, who signs in the space designated for signatures on the signature card may withdraw or transfer all or any part of the account balance at any time. Each of you (until we receive written notice to the contrary) authorizes each other person signing the signature card to indorse any item payable to you or your order for deposit to this account or any other transaction with us. We may charge your account for a check even though payment was made before the date of the check, unless we have received written notice of the postdating in time to have a reasonable opportunity to act. We may refuse any withdrawal or transfer request which you attempt on forms not approved by us, by any method we do not specifically permit, which is greater in number than the frequency permitted, or which is for an amount greater or less than any withdrawal limitations. Even if we honor a nonconforming request, we may treat continued abuse of the stated limitations (if any) as your act of closing the account. We will use the date the transaction is completed by us (as opposed to the date you initiate it) to apply the frequency limitations. We will process checks presented on the same business day in order from the checks written for the smallest amount to the checks written for the largest amount. The fact that we may honor withdrawal requests that overdraw the available account balance does not obligate us to do so later. Whether your overdrafts will be paid is discretionary and we reserve the right not to pay. For example, we typically do not pay overdrafts if your account is not in good standing, or you are not making regular deposits, or you have too many overdrafts. See the funds availability policy disclosure for information about when you can withdraw funds you deposit. For those accounts for which our funds availability policy disclosure does not apply, you can ask us when you make a deposit when those funds will be available for withdrawal.

We may require not less than 7 days' notice in writing before each withdrawal from an interest-bearing account other than a time deposit, or from any other savings account as defined by Regulation D. Withdrawals from a time account prior to maturity or prior to any notice period may be restricted and may be subject to penalty. See your notice of penalty for early withdrawal.

OWNERSHIP OF ACCOUNT AND BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION - These rules apply to this account depending on the form of ownership and beneficiary designation, if any, specified on the account records. We make no representations as to the appropriateness or effect of the ownership and beneficiary designations, except as they determine to whom we pay the account funds. As used in this agreement "party" means a person who, by the terms of the account, has a present right, subject to request, to payment from a multiple-party account other than as an agent.

Individual Account - is an account in the name of one person.

Joint Account - This account or certificate is owned by the named parties. Upon the death of any of them, ownership passes to the survivor(s).

Joint Account of Husband and Wife with Right of Survivorship - This account or certificate is owned by the named parties, who are husband and wife, and is presumed to be their community property. Upon the death of either of them, ownership passes to the survivor.

Community Property Account of Husband and Wife - This account or certificate is the community property of the named parties who are husband and wife. The ownership during lifetime and after the death of a spouse is determined by the law applicable to community property generally and may be affected by a will.

Tenancy in Common Account - This account or certificate is owned by the named parties as tenants in common. Upon the death of any party, the ownership interest of that party passes to the named pay-on-death payee(s) of that party or, if none, to the estate of that party.

P.O.D. Account with Single Party - This account or certificate is owned by the named party. Upon the death of that party, ownership passes to the named pay-on-death payee(s).

P.O.D. Account with Multiple Parties - This account or certificate is owned by the named parties. Upon the death of any of them, ownership passes to the survivor(s). Upon the death of all of them, ownership passes to the named pay-on-death payee(s).

Totten Trust Account - (subject to this form) - If two or more of you create this account, you own the account jointly with survivorship. Beneficiaries cannot withdraw unless: (1) all persons creating the account die, and (2) the beneficiary is then living. If two or more beneficiaries are named and survive the death of all persons creating the account, such beneficiaries will own this account in equal shares, without right of survivorship. The person(s) creating either of these account types reserves the right to: (1) change beneficiaries, (2) change account types, and (3) withdraw all or part of the account funds at any time.

Trust Account Subject to Separate Agreement - We will abide by the terms of any separate agreement which clearly pertains to this account and which you file with us. Any additional consistent terms stated on this form will also apply.

BUSINESS ACCOUNTS - Earnings in the form of interest, dividends, or credits will be paid only on collected funds, unless otherwise provided by law or our policy. We may require the governing body of the legal entity opening the account to give us a separate authorization telling us who is authorized to act on its behalf. We will honor the authorization until we actually receive written notice of a change from the governing body of the legal entity.

STOP PAYMENTS - You must make any stop-payment order in the manner required by law and we must receive it in time to give us a reasonable opportunity to act on it before our stop-payment cutoff time. To be effective, your stop-payment order must precisely identify the number, date and amount of the item, and the payee.

You may stop payment on any item drawn on your account whether you sign the item or not, if you have an equal or greater right to withdraw from this account than the person who signed the item. A release of the stop-payment request may be made only by the person who initiated the stop-payment order.

Our stop-payment cutoff time is one hour after the opening of the next banking day after the banking day on which we receive the item. Additional limitations on our obligation to stop payment are provided by law (e.g., we paid the item in cash or we certified the item).

TELEPHONE TRANSFERS - A telephone transfer of funds from this account to another account with us, if otherwise arranged for or permitted, may be made by the same persons and under the same conditions generally applicable to withdrawals made in writing. Unless a different limitation is disclosed in writing, we restrict the number of transfers from a savings account to another account or to third parties, to a maximum of six per month (less the number of "preauthorized transfers" during the month). Other account transfer restrictions may be described elsewhere.

AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION - We may change any term of this agreement. Rules governing changes in interest rates are provided separately. For other changes, we will give you reasonable notice in writing or by any other method permitted by law. We may also close this account at any time upon reasonable notice to you and tender of the account balance personally or by mail. Notice from us to any one of you is notice to all of you.

STATEMENTS - You must examine your statement of account with "reasonable promptness." If you discover (or reasonably should have discovered) any unauthorized signatures or alterations, you must promptly notify us of the relevant facts. As between you and us, if you fail to do either of these duties, you will have to either share the loss with us, or bear the loss entirely yourself (depending on whether we used ordinary care and, if not, whether we contributed to the loss). The loss could be not only with respect to items on the statement but other items with unauthorized signatures or alterations by the same wrongdoer.

You agree that the time you have to examine your statement and report to us will depend on the circumstances, but will not, in any circumstance, exceed a total of 30 days from when the statement is first sent or made available to you.

You further agree that if you fail to report any unauthorized signatures, alterations, forgeries, or any other errors in your account within 60 days of when we first send or make the statement available, you cannot assert a claim against us on any items in that statement, and as between you and us the loss will be entirely yours. This 60-day limitation is without regard to whether we used ordinary care. The limitation in this paragraph is in addition to that contained in the first paragraph of this section.

ACCOUNT TRANSFER - This account may not be transferred or assigned without our prior written consent.

DIRECT DEPOSITS - If, in connection with a direct deposit plan, we deposit any amount in an account which should have been returned to the Federal Government for any reason, you authorize us to deduct the amount of our liability to the Federal Government from the account or from any other account you have with us, without prior notice and at any time, except as prohibited by law. We may also use any other legal remedy to recover the amount of our liability.

TEMPORARY ACCOUNT AGREEMENT - If this option is selected, this is a temporary account agreement. Each person who signs in the space designated for signatures on the signature card (except as indicated to the contrary) may transact business on this account. However, we may at some time in the future restrict or prohibit further use of this account if you fail to comply with the requirements we have imposed within a reasonable time.

SETOFF - We may (without prior notice and when permitted by law) set off the funds in this account against any due and payable debt you owe us now or in the future, by any of you having the right of withdrawal, to the extent of such persons' or legal entity's right to withdraw. The amount of the setoff may be further limited by applicable law. If the debt arises from a note, "any due and payable debt" includes the total amount of which we are entitled to demand payment under the terms of the note at the time we set off, including any balance the due date for which we properly accelerate under the note.

This right of setoff does not apply to this account if: (a) it is an IRA or other tax-deferred retirement account, or (b) the debt is created by a consumer credit transaction under a credit card plan (but this does not affect our rights under any consensual security interest), or (c) the debtor's right of withdrawal only arises in a representative capacity. We will not be liable for the dishonor of any check when the dishonor occurs because we set off a debt against this account. You agree to hold us harmless from any claim arising as a result of our exercise of our right of setoff.

AUTHORIZED SIGNER (Individual Accounts only) - A single individual is the owner. The authorized signer is merely designated to conduct transactions on the owner's behalf. We undertake no obligation to monitor transactions to determine that they are on the owner's behalf.

RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS - We are not required to honor any restrictive legend on checks you write unless we have agreed in writing to the restriction. Examples of restrictive legends are "must be presented within 90 days" or "not valid for more than $1,000.00."

ACH AND WIRE TRANSFERS - This agreement is subject to Article 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code - Fund Transfers as adopted in the state in which you have your account with us. If you originate a fund transfer for which Fedwire is used, and you identify by name and number a beneficiary financial institution, an intermediary financial institution or a beneficiary, we and every receiving or beneficiary financial institution may rely on the identifying number to make payment. We may rely on the number even if it identifies a financial institution, person or account other than the one named. You agree to be bound by automated clearing house association rules. These rules provide, among other things, that payments made to you, or originated by you, are provisional until final settlement is made through a Federal Reserve Bank or payment is otherwise made as provided in Article 4A-403(a) of the Uniform Commercial Code. If we receive a credit to an account you have with us by wire or ACH, we are not required to give you any notice of the payment order or credit.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME ACCOUNTS - If the name in which the account is held is fictitious, each account holder represents that one or more of the account holders have the right to use that name and have fulfilled all legal requirements for using and or doing business under that name.

DEMAND DRAFTS AND ELECTRONIC DEBITS

A demand draft is a writing not signed by the customer that is created by a third party under the purported authority of the customer for the purpose of charging the customers account with a financial institution. A demand draft must contain the customer’s account number and may contain the customer’s printed or typewritten name, a notation that the customer authorized the draft, or the statement ‘no signature required’ or words to that effect.

If you voluntarily give information about your account (such as our routing number and your account number) to someone and authorize them to draw against your account, we may charge your account and pay any items initiated by the person to whom you gave the information. We may continue to honor items or debits from a payee previously authorized by you, until you instruct us to cease to do so, whether or not the payee is acting within the scope of your initial authorization, subject only to such liability as may be imposed upon us by law. If you use or authorize another to issue a demand draft against your account, or voluntarily give information about your account (such as our routing number and your account number) to a party who is seeking to sell you goods or services, and you don’t deliver the check physically signed by you to the party, any demand draft or other debit to your account initiated by the party to whom you gave the information is deemed authorized even if it differs in amount, frequency or timing from your intentions or agreement with that party. You agree that you will not hold us responsible for any loss, damage or other problems resulting from your having used or authorized another to create a demand draft. If you want us to stop honoring items from a payee previously authorized by you, you must tell us in writing. Until you notify us that such items are not authorized, we can continue to pay them and will not be liable to you even though the items are not in accordance with any authorization you may have given.

This does not, however, obligate us to honor demand drafts or similar items or entries. We may refuse to honor demand drafts or similar items or entries without cause or prior notice, whether or not we have honored or dishonored similar items or entries previously.

You agree that we are under no obligation to verify whether the name and account number shown on the demand draft are consistent. If any information on a demand draft is incomplete, inaccurate, or in error, you agree that we may, at our sole discretion, either pay the demand draft and charge your account for the item as drawn or refuse to honor the demand draft and, without prior notice to you, return the item unpaid. You further agree to indemnify and hold harmless for losses resulting from our honoring or dishonoring any such debit.

CHECKING ACCOUNTS/INTERNAL ACCOUNTING OF BALANCES

This Account consists of a checking sub account and a savings sub account. This type of account set up helps the Bank operate more efficiently from an internal standpoint, and will not affect the way you see or use your account. This account characteristic is commonplace at most banks across the country. The Bank may periodically transfer funds between these two sub accounts. If your Account is one on which interest is paid, your interest calculation will remain the same. Otherwise, the savings sub account will be non interest bearing. The saving sub account will be governed by the rules governing our other savings accounts. This process will not affect your available balance, the interest you may earn, FDIC insurance protection, or your monthly statement.

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 326 OF THE USA PATRIOT ACT

It is the policy of Pacific Mercantile Bank to identify, and to verify the identity of, each of its customers as required by federal law, and specifically under Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act. The Bank’s Customer Identification Program (“CIP”) is an internal policy and procedure, intended to facilitate the prevention, detection and prosecution of money laundering and financing of terrorism. Our policy and procedures do not create rights or obligations to our current or future customers; they are for internal use and are adopted pursuant to federal mandates.

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