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Dispute Resolution Statistics

Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through May

Contested Motions for Virtual HearingsGrantedDeniedOpenTotal
Customer297 (63%)175 (37%)2474
Intra-Industry159 (76%)51 (24%)1211
Total Customer and Intra-Industry456 (67%)226 (33%)3685

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of May 31, 2,278 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (761 customer cases and 1,517 industry cases).

There are 813 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (354 in customer cases and 459 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through May

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2024Total: 1,066
Customer: 695 (65%)
Intra-Industry: 371 (35%)
1,4343,046Overall*: 11.7
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.6
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 5.3
2023Total: 1,444
Customer: 772 (53%)
Intra-Industry: 672 (47%)
1,1873,336Overall*: 16.5
Regular Hearing Decisions: 18.6
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.0
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2022Total: 1,055
Customer: 645 (61%)
Intra-Industry: 410 (39%)
1,5233,455Overall*: 17.6
Regular Hearing Decisions: 19.1
Special Proceeding Decisions: 8.5
Paper Decisions: 5.3
2024 vs 2023Total: -26%
Customer: -10%
Intra-Industry: -45%
+21%-9% Overall*: -29%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -11%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -7%
Paper Decisions: +6%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20241,0661,434
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 May556621485661701
Year-End--1,5181,3401,4451,714
NegligenceThrough May510565443623633
Year-End--1,4081,2611,3711,592
Failure to SuperviseThrough May470464387516593
Year-End--1,1291,0751,2181,433
MisrepresentationThrough May463442351537563
Year-End--1,0789901,1811,384
Breach of ContractThrough May430465363485515
Year-End--1,0951,0481,1101,292
Omission of FactsThrough May384369283457492
Year-End--8818259581,215
SuitabilityThrough May383382330433524
Year-End--9318991,0711,220
FraudThrough May305282258325426
Year-End--687699744918
Breach of Regulation BI*Through May19117737----
Year-End--408216----
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough May152185124165124
Year-End--414402355338
ManipulationThrough May1439891146144
Year-End--273266285316
Elder AbuseThrough May7984627371
Year-End--212188162172
Unauthorized TradingThrough May6278638078
Year-End--175149160190
Errors-chargesThrough May3971407531
Year-End--13299127102
TransferThrough May348172014
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 May132169161212160
Year-End--393349433385
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough May927998182109
Year-End--197211429421
Corporate BondsThrough May86111482629
Year-End--2362395779
Mutual FundsThrough May5593547982
Year-End--294159161177
Private EquitiesThrough May45385469120
Year-End--120146161213
401(k)Through May4222181739
Year-End--50354173
Structured ProductsThrough May411871417
Year-End--47383335
AnnuitiesThrough May4029263731
Year-End--78579893
OptionsThrough May3562527978
Year-End--121153157180
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough May2730223042
Year-End--95607695
Variable AnnuitiesThrough May2527223741
Year-End--81487595
Municipal Bond FundsThrough May2330213173
Year-End--755057136
Limited PartnershipsThrough May2225517071
Year-End--68122134146
Preferred StockThrough May2034141215
Year-End--73423137
Business Development Company (BDCs)Through May1417469421
Year-End--4588177218

 

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSYTime Period2024 Cases Served2023202220212020
Breach of ContractThrough May1209891121130
Year-End--294225268309
Promissory NotesThrough May86543459109
Year-End--15484126229
CompensationThrough May5729373861
Year-End--747784135
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through May4743364458
Year-End--1048489148
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough May3727322058
Year-End--916959152
Wrongful TerminationThrough May2724243043
Year-End--665062101
CommissionsThrough May1913182132
Year-End--36375572
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough May10461011
Year-End--14212331
Raiding DisputesThrough May9612710
Year-End--24241328
Discrimination or Harassment*Through May810111715
Year-End--25253638
WhistleblowerThrough May452----
Year-End--125----
IndemnificationThrough May35229
Year-End--127614
NegligenceThrough May31526
Year-End--514817
FraudThrough May31539
Year-End--613816
MisrepresentationThrough May303425
Year-End--7121257

* 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 ArbitratorsMay-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
After Regular Hearing176 (12%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)335 (9%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing10 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)13 (0%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)35 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)101 (3%)
Total221 (16%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)449 (13%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansMay-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties810 (57%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation179 (13%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn147 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others68 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total1,204 (84%)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 YTD9711%26% (25 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 YTD64214333%
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
2024106460%
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
202434132138%
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 YTD71614%
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 YTD2632312%
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 YTD4028% (11 cases)1030% (3 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
Public4,077
Non-Public4,118
Total8,195

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

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 May

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2024219236 (87%)140
2023317276 (85%)126
2022388265 (90%)142
2024 vs 2023-31%-14% +11% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through May

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
20248414 (17%)
202312360 (49%)
20227619 (25%)

* 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.