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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through January

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2026Total: 201
Customer: 138 (69%)
Intra-Industry: 63 (31%)
2012,878Overall*: 13.7
Regular Hearing Decisions: 13.7
Special Proceeding Decisions: 11.2
Paper Decisions: 4.9
2025Total: 207
Customer: 130 (63%)
Intra-Industry: 77 (37%)
2272,746Overall*: 12.9
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.5
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.3
Paper Decisions: 4.8
2024Total: 202
Customer: 139 (69%)
Intra-Industry: 63 (31%)
2923,295Overall*: 12.9
Regular Hearing Decisions: 14.5
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.6
Paper Decisions: 4.6
2026 vs 2025Total: -3%
Customer: +6%
Intra-Industry: -18%
-11%+5% Overall*: +6%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -12%
Special Proceeding Decisions: +78%
Paper Decisions: +2%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
2026201201
20252,5972,567
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20203,9023,564
20193,7574,011
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20143,8223,838
20133,7144,498
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2026 Cases served2025202420232022
NegligenceThrough January918311010781
Year-End--1,1131,1261,4081,261
Failure to SuperviseThrough January9170948172
Year-End--1,0221,0501,1291,075
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough January908412012388
Year-End--1,1621,2521,5181,340
MisrepresentationThrough January8172987870
Year-End--1,0151,0321,078990
Breach of ContractThrough January7960929574
Year-End--8999931,0951,048
Omission of FactsThrough January7862737056
Year-End--867851881825
SuitabilityThrough January6956747362
Year-End--786853931899
FraudThrough January5652645245
Year-End--632679687699
Breach of Regulation BIThrough January423533232
Year-End--528448408216
ManipulationThrough January2423211915
Year-End--343325273266
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough January2422353921
Year-End--318342414402
Elder AbuseThrough January14817208
Year-End--207170212188
Unauthorized TradingThrough January1114121016
Year-End--159119175149
Errors-chargesThrough January11106147
Year-End--1257913299
Third Party Fraud*Through January82------
Year-End--84151--

*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 Period2026 Cases Served2025202420232022
OptionsThrough January10118239
Year-End--13187121153
Mutual FundsThrough January97191512
Year-End--125113294159
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough January813201819
Year-End--166164197211
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough January76342
Year-End--86689560
Municipal Bond FundsThrough January65545
Year-End--51517550
Structured ProductsThrough January64822
Year-End--64834738
AnnuitiesThrough January58952
Year-End--65877857
Variable AnnuitiesThrough January56532
Year-End--53568148
Private EquitiesThrough January411131012
Year-End--12894120146
401(k)Through January451114
Year-End--61695035
Cryptocurrency**Through January41------
Year-End--343----
Limited PartnershipsThrough January37764
Year-End--665768122
Municipal BondsThrough January32125
Year-End--24293530
Stock Index FuturesThrough January24--3--
Year-End--98108

*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 January2036232716
Year-End--257283294225
Promissory NotesThrough January1291658
Year-End--16717115484
Wrongful TerminationThrough January115571
Year-End--64656650
CompensationThrough January811683
Year-End--751567477
Discrimination or Harassment**Through January711-1
Year-End--21282525
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough January45786
Year-End--61749169
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through January36784
Year-End--829010484
CommissionsThrough January26462
Year-End--36743637
WhistleblowerThrough January2-1--
Year-End--1012125
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough January11011-
Year-End--31271421
Raiding DisputesThrough January18121
Year-End--23162424
MisrepresentationThrough January11---
Year-End--157712
Failure to SuperviseThrough January1----
Year-End--4337
NegligenceThrough January1----
Year-End--88514
 Through January----------
Year-End----------

* 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 ArbitratorsJan-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
After Regular Hearing24 (12%)412 (16%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing1 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)9 (5%)79 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)
Total34 (17%)508 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansJan-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
Direct Settlement by Parties97 (49%)1,118 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)
Settled via Mediation23 (12%)371 (15%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)
Withdrawn30 (15%)310 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)
All Others15 (8%)232 (9%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)
Total165 (83%)2,031 (80%)2,559 (83%)2,463 (82%)2,917 (82%)

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
2026 YTD2117%29% (6 cases)
202524014%28% (67 cases)
202423213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 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
2026 YTD135838%
20251635410933%
20241604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%

*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
202632167%
202544251957%
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
202651517%
202568234534%
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
2026 YTD1010%
2025150150%
20242041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%

 

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
2026 YTD71614%
202562134921%
20245284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%

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
2026 YTD743% (3 cases)425% (1 case)
202510935% (38 cases)3129% (9 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)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator TypeTotal
Public4,002
Non-Public4,012
Total8,016

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

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 January

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
20263827 (89%)120
20255460 (82%)130
20243356 (89%)79
2026 vs 2025-30%-55% -8% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through January

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
2026156 (40%)
2025174 (24%)
2024163 (19%)

* 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.