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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through December

Contested Motions for Virtual HearingsGrantedDeniedOpenTotal
Customer303 (63%)181 (37%)4488
Intra-Industry170 (76%)53 (24%)1224
Total Customer and Intra-Industry473 (67%)234 (33%)5712

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of December 31, 2,638 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (858 customer cases and 1,780 industry cases).

There are 837 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (366 in customer cases and 471 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through December

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2024Total: 2,469
Customer: 1,595 (65%)
Intra-Industry: 874 (35%)
3,1082,806Overall*: 12.5
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.4
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.3
Paper Decisions: 5.4
2023Total: 3,382
Customer: 1,891 (56%)
Intra-Industry: 1,491 (44%)
3,0273,411Overall*: 14.6
Regular Hearing Decisions: 17.3
Special Proceeding Decisions: 8.2
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2022Total: 2,671
Customer: 1,693 (63%)
Intra-Industry: 978 (37%)
3,5643,099Overall*: 18.3
Regular Hearing Decisions: 19.8
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.3
Paper Decisions: 5.1
2024 vs 2023Total: -27%
Customer: -16%
Intra-Industry: -41%
+3%-18% Overall*: -14%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -5%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -11%
Paper Decisions: +8%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
20203,9023,564
20193,7574,011
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
20143,8223,838
20133,7144,498
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571
20084,9823,757
20073,2385,345

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2024 Cases served2023202220212020
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough December1,2521,5181,3401,4451,714
Year-End--1,5181,3401,4451,714
NegligenceThrough December1,1261,4081,2611,3711,592
Year-End--1,4081,2611,3711,592
Failure to SuperviseThrough December1,0501,1291,0751,2181,433
Year-End--1,1291,0751,2181,433
MisrepresentationThrough December1,0321,0789901,1811,384
Year-End--1,0789901,1811,384
Breach of ContractThrough December9931,0951,0481,1101,292
Year-End--1,0951,0481,1101,292
SuitabilityThrough December8539318991,0711,220
Year-End--9318991,0711,220
Omission of FactsThrough December8518818259581,215
Year-End--8818259581,215
FraudThrough December679687699744918
Year-End--687699744918
Breach of Regulation BI*Through December44840821640--
Year-End--40821640--
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough December342414402355338
Year-End--414402355338
ManipulationThrough December325273266285316
Year-End--273266285316
Elder AbuseThrough December170212188162172
Year-End--212188162172
Unauthorized TradingThrough December119175149160190
Year-End--175149160190
Errors-chargesThrough December7913299127102
Year-End--13299127102
TransferThrough December7038524641
Year-End--38524641

*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 Period2024 Cases Served2023202220212020
Common StockThrough December304393349433385
Year-End--393349433385
Corporate BondsThrough December1692362395779
Year-End--2362395779
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough December164197211429421
Year-End--197211429421
Mutual FundsThrough December113294159161177
Year-End--294159161177
Private EquitiesThrough December94120146161213
Year-End--120146161213
OptionsThrough December87121153157180
Year-End--121153157180
AnnuitiesThrough December8778579893
Year-End--78579893
Structured ProductsThrough December8347383335
Year-End--47383335
401(k)Through December6950354173
Year-End--50354173
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough December6895607695
Year-End--95607695
Limited PartnershipsThrough December5768122134146
Year-End--68122134146
Variable AnnuitiesThrough December5681487595
Year-End--81487595
Municipal Bond FundsThrough December51755057136
Year-End--755057136
Preferred StockThrough December3973423137
Year-End--73423137
Municipal BondsThrough December29353051148
Year-End--353051148

 

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSYTime Period2024 Cases Served2023202220212020
Breach of ContractThrough December283294225268309
Year-End--294225268309
Promissory NotesThrough December17115484126229
Year-End--15484126229
CompensationThrough December156747784135
Year-End--747784135
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through December901048489148
Year-End--1048489148
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough December74916959152
Year-End--916959152
CommissionsThrough December7436375572
Year-End--36375572
Wrongful TerminationThrough December65665062101
Year-End--665062101
Discrimination or Harassment*Through December2825253638
Year-End--25253638
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough December2714212331
Year-End--14212331
Raiding DisputesThrough December1624241328
Year-End--24241328
WhistleblowerThrough December12125----
Year-End--125----
FraudThrough December11613816
Year-End--613816
NegligenceThrough December8514917
Year-End--514917
MisrepresentationThrough December77121257
Year-End--7121257
IndemnificationThrough December6127614
Year-End--127614

* 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 ArbitratorsDec-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
After Regular Hearing431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)335 (9%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)13 (0%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)101 (3%)
Total519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)449 (13%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansDec-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total2,559 (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
2024 YTD23213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 cases)
20201939%32% (62 cases)
201931313%45% (141 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
2024 YTD1604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%
2020120417934%
201924110913245%

*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
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
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
2024 YTD2041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%
202051420%
201981713%

 

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
2024 YTD5284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%
202068204829%
201964313348%

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
2024 YTD10231% (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
Public4,021
Non-Public4,067
Total8,088

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

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

FINRA DRS surveys its arbitrators and mediators on a voluntary and anonymous basis every year. Click here for the survey results.

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 December

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2024469499 (87%)130
2023637617 (85%)121
2022746803 (91%)127
2024 vs 2023-26%-19% +7% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through December

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
202417337 (21%)
202321882 (38%)
202216835 (21%)

* 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.