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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through January

Contested Motions for Virtual HearingsGrantedDeniedOpenTotal
Customer306 (63%)183 (37%)2491
Intra-Industry171 (76%)53 (24%)1225
Total Customer and Intra-Industry477 (67%)236 (33%)3716

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of January 31, 2,638 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (877 customer cases and 1,806 industry cases).

There are 842 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (370 in customer cases and 472 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through January

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2025Total: 207
Customer: 129 (62%)
Intra-Industry: 78 (38%)
2282,746Overall*: 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
2023Total: 237
Customer: 146 (62%)
Intra-Industry: 91 (38%)
1943,069Overall*: 18.1
Regular Hearing Decisions: 22.8
Special Proceeding Decisions: 2.5
Paper Decisions: 4.5
2025 vs 2024Total: +2%
Customer: -7%
Intra-Industry: +24%
-22%-17% Overall*: 0%
Regular Hearing Decisions: +7%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -5%
Paper Decisions: +4%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
2025207228
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 January8412012388123
Year-End--1,2521,5181,3401,445
NegligenceThrough January8311010781115
Year-End--1,1261,4081,2611,371
MisrepresentationThrough January72987870101
Year-End--1,0321,0789901,181
Failure to SuperviseThrough January7094817298
Year-End--1,0501,1291,0751,218
Omission of FactsThrough January6273705693
Year-End--851881825958
Breach of ContractThrough January6092957490
Year-End--9931,0951,0481,110
SuitabilityThrough January5674736285
Year-End--8539318991,071
FraudThrough January5264524564
Year-End--679687699744
Breach of Regulation BIThrough January35332320
Year-End--44840821640
ManipulationThrough January2321191528
Year-End--325273266285
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough January2235392123
Year-End--342414402355
Unauthorized TradingThrough January1412101622
Year-End--119175149160
Errors-chargesThrough January10614711
Year-End--7913299127
Elder AbuseThrough January8172089
Year-End--170212188162
TransferThrough January77134
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 January2929443241
Year-End--304393349433
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough January1320181933
Year-End--164197211429
Private EquitiesThrough January111310126
Year-End--94120146161
OptionsThrough January11823910
Year-End--87121153157
Corporate BondsThrough January10261428
Year-End--16923623957
AnnuitiesThrough January89523
Year-End--87785798
Mutual FundsThrough January719151219
Year-End--113294159161
Limited PartnershipsThrough January77648
Year-End--5768122134
Variable AnnuitiesThrough January65323
Year-End--56814875
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough January63427
Year-End--68956076
401(k)Through January511142
Year-End--69503541
Municipal Bond FundsThrough January55459
Year-End--51755057
Structured ProductsThrough January48224
Year-End--83473833
Stock Index FuturesThrough January40300
Year-End--81084
Preferred StockThrough January351534
Year-End--39734231

 

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSYTime Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Breach of ContractThrough January3623271619
Year-End--283294225268
CompensationThrough January116838
Year-End--156747784
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough January101103
Year-End--27142123
Promissory NotesThrough January916589
Year-End--17115484126
Raiding DisputesThrough January81211
Year-End--16242413
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through January67848
Year-End--901048489
CommissionsThrough January64624
Year-End--74363755
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough January57867
Year-End--74916959
Wrongful TerminationThrough January55718
Year-End--65665062
FraudThrough January20101
Year-End--116138
MisrepresentationThrough January10002
Year-End--771212
PartnershipsThrough January10000
Year-End--6433
CollectionThrough January10000
Year-End--4036
UnderwritingThrough January10000
Year-End--2111
Discrimination or Harassment**Through January11015
Year-End--28252536

* 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-2025 (% of Cases)2024202320222021
After Regular Hearing35 (15%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing5 (2%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)5 (2%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)
Total45 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansJan-2025 (% of Cases)20242023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties97 (43%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation32 (14%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn35 (15%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others18 (8%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total182 (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 YTD2213%32% (7 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 YTD134931%
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
2025110100%
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
202562433%
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 YTD5050%
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 YTD43175%
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 YTD714% (1 case)250% (1 case)
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
Public4,018
Non-Public4,084
Total8,102

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)
20255460 (82%)130
20243356 (89%)79
20235259 (76%)152
2025 vs 2024+64%+7% +65% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through January

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
2025174 (24%)
2024163 (19%)
2023175 (29%)

* 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.