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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through August

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2025Total: 1,664
Customer: 1,056 (63%)
Intra-Industry: 608 (37%)
1,7492,721Overall*: 13.4
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.8
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 4.9
2024Total: 1,706
Customer: 1,136 (67%)
Intra-Industry: 570 (33%)
2,1602,958Overall*: 12.2
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.5
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.9
Paper Decisions: 5.3
2023Total: 2,181
Customer: 1,257 (58%)
Intra-Industry: 924 (42%)
1,8933,356Overall*: 15.5
Regular Hearing Decisions: 18.3
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.0
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2025 vs 2024Total: -2%
Customer: -7%
Intra-Industry: +7%
-19%-8% Overall*: +10%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -4%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -6%
Paper Decisions: -8%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20251,6641,749
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
20203,9023,564
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20193,7574,011
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
20143,8223,838
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20133,7144,498
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571
20084,9823,757

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2025 Cases served2024202320222021
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough August7258991,0168581,052
Year-End--1,2521,5181,3401,445
NegligenceThrough August685816938788990
Year-End--1,1261,4081,2611,371
MisrepresentationThrough August629740725628882
Year-End--1,0321,0789901,181
Failure to SuperviseThrough August617750774699880
Year-End--1,0501,1291,0751,218
Breach of ContractThrough August543712750650815
Year-End--9931,0951,0481,110
Omission of FactsThrough August534611596513715
Year-End--851881825958
SuitabilityThrough August495622615605751
Year-End--8539318991,071
FraudThrough August420475469462539
Year-End--679687699744
Breach of Regulation BI*Through August334295283112-
Year-End--44840821640
ManipulationThrough August225224180170217
Year-End--325273266285
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough August187252282243270
Year-End--342414402355
Elder AbuseThrough August130119140123107
Year-End--170212188162
Unauthorized TradingThrough August10486115101117
Year-End--119175149160
Errors-chargesThrough August84571047296
Year-End--7913299127
TransferThrough August4953243132
Year-End--70385246

*These categories were not tracked for the years in which no data appears.

Top 15 Security Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple security types.

SECURITYTime Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Common StockThrough August216214272216321
Year-End--304393349433
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough August104126127149324
Year-End--164197211429
Mutual FundsThrough August857816997120
Year-End--113294159161
OptionsThrough August82699383116
Year-End--87121153157
Private EquitiesThrough August786873100110
Year-End--94120146161
Corporate BondsThrough August7311817314739
Year-End--16923623957
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough August5839623750
Year-End--68956076
AnnuitiesThrough August4858444063
Year-End--87785798
401(k)Through August4553342324
Year-End--69503541
Limited PartnershipsThrough August4236408597
Year-End--5768122134
Variable AnnuitiesThrough August4038512956
Year-End--56814875
Structured ProductsThrough August3958301524
Year-End--83473833
Municipal Bond FundsThrough August3635543238
Year-End--51755057
Cryptocurrency**Through August22--------
Year-End----------
Preferred StockThrough August2030572520
Year-End--39734231

*These categories were not tracked for the years in which no data appears.

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSYTime Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Breach of ContractThrough August185186171142187
Year-End--283294225268
Promissory NotesThrough August1161181005688
Year-End--17115484126
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through August4967725762
Year-End--901048489
CompensationThrough August48101535455
Year-End--156747784
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough August4352544537
Year-End--74916959
Wrongful TerminationThrough August3743473641
Year-End--65665062
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough August271661114
Year-End--27142123
CommissionsThrough August2541242735
Year-End--74363755
Discrimination or Harassment**Through August1717191925
Year-End--28252536
Raiding DisputesThrough August1710131812
Year-End--16242413
MisrepresentationThrough August126455
Year-End--771212
FraudThrough August106284
Year-End--116138
NegligenceThrough August77374
Year-End--85149
WhistleblowerThrough August65940
Year-End--121250
IndemnificationThrough August551143
Year-End--61276

* This category combines the following discrimination controversy types: disability, age, gender, race, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, employment discrimination, and sexual harassment. This number does not represent the number of cases served, as one case may have multiple discrimination claims.

How Arbitration Cases Close

Cases Decided by ArbitratorsAug-2025 (% of Cases)2024202320222021
After Regular Hearing291 (17%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing11 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)50 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)
Total352 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansAug-2025 (% of Cases)20242023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties769 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation266 (15%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn208 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others140 (8%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total1,383 (80%)2,559 (83%)2,463 (82%)2,917 (82%)3,476 (85%)3,109 (87%)

Results of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases

Year DecidedAll Customer Claimant Cases Decided (Hearings, Special Procedures & Paper)Percentage Decided of All Customer Claimant Cases ClosedPercentage (and Number) of Cases where Customer Awarded Damages
2025 YTD17014%29% (50 cases)
202423213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 cases)
20201939%32% (62 cases)

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Regular Hearing Only)*

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Decided (Hearing Only)Hearing Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesHearing Customer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Award Hearing Cases
2025 YTD122418134%
20241604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%
2020120417934%

*The data in this chart includes cases dismissed prior to the hearing on the merits, and are counted as cases in which the customer claimant was not awarded damages.

Awards on the Merits of the Case with One or More Zoom Evidentiary Hearings*

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesCustomer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages
202535211460%
202431141745%
202353213240%
2022116516544%
2021136607644%
202030121840%

*The data in this chart excludes cases dismissed prior to the hearing on the merits.

Awards on the Merits of the Case with In-Person Evidentiary Hearings*

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesCustomer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages
202548173135%
202475294639%
202391345737%
202274344046%
202146222448%
202034171750%

*The data in this chart excludes cases dismissed prior to the hearing on the merits.

 

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Special Proceeding Hearing Only)

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Decided (Special Proceeding Only)Special Proceeding Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesSpecial Proceeding Customer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Award Special Proceeding Cases
2025 YTD100100%
20242041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%
202051420%

 

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Paper Only)

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Decided (Paper Only)Paper Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesCustomer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Award Paper Cases
2025 YTD3892924%
20245284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%
202068204829%

Results of All-Public Panels and Majority Public Panels in Customer Cases

Year DecidedCases Decided by All-Public PanelsPercentage (and Number) of Cases Decided by 3 Public Arbitrators where Customer Awarded DamagesCases Decided by Majority-Public PanelsPercentage (and Number) of Cases Decided by 2 Public Arbitrators and 1 Non-Public Arbitrator where Customer Awarded Damages
2025 YTD8238% (31 cases)2133% (7 cases)
202410231% (32 cases)2818% (5 cases)
202312232% (39 cases)4626% (12 cases)
202214142% (59 cases)5137% (19 cases)
202113939% (54 cases)4630% (14 cases)
20207633% (25 cases)2623% (6 cases)
201914953% (79 cases)4728% (13 cases)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator TypeTotal
Public3,991
Non-Public4,010
Total8,001

Number of Cases and Arbitrators* per Hearing Location Through August.

Click on each hearing location below to view the number of cases and a breakdown of available arbitrators by type. View in table format.

We expand arbitrator pools in select hearing locations as case demand requires.

* Arbitrators can serve in multiple hearing locations, thus, these figures cannot be totaled to produce the overall number of arbitrators on the roster.
** These figures include the arbitrators designated on the Local Public Chair list.
*** These figures include the arbitrators designated on the Non-Local Public Chair list.

Mediation Statistics Through August

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2025343336 (82%)131
2024342350 (88%)136
2023454417 (85%)124
2025 vs 20240%-4% -4% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through August

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
202511532 (28%)
202412228 (23%)
202316965 (38%)

* As of January 1, 2020, Number of Requests only includes cases subject to FINRA’s jurisdiction. Previously, these statistics included all requests to mediate, including those not subject to FINRA’s jurisdiction.