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Dispute Resolution Statistics

Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through August

Contested Motions for Virtual HearingsGrantedDeniedOpenTotal
Customer299 (63%)177 (37%)3479
Intra-Industry166 (76%)51 (24%)0217
Total Customer and Intra-Industry465 (67%)228 (33%)3696

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of August 31, 2,449 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (799 customer cases and 1,650 industry cases).

There are 822 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (361 in customer cases and 461 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through August

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2024Total: 1,706
Customer: 1,135 (67%)
Intra-Industry: 571 (33%)
2,1632,958Overall*: 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
2022Total: 1,717
Customer: 1,093 (64%)
Intra-Industry: 624 (36%)
2,4713,207Overall*: 18.3
Regular Hearing Decisions: 20.2
Special Proceeding Decisions: 8.1
Paper Decisions: 5.2
2024 vs 2023Total: -22%
Customer: -10%
Intra-Industry: -38%
+14%-12% Overall*: -21%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -10%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -1%
Paper Decisions: +6%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20241,7062,163
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 August8991,0168581,0521,134
Year-End--1,5181,3401,4451,714
NegligenceThrough August8169387889901,040
Year-End--1,4081,2611,3711,592
Failure to SuperviseThrough August750774699880948
Year-End--1,1291,0751,2181,433
MisrepresentationThrough August740725628882898
Year-End--1,0789901,1811,384
Breach of ContractThrough August712750650815843
Year-End--1,0951,0481,1101,292
SuitabilityThrough August622615605751847
Year-End--9318991,0711,220
Omission of FactsThrough August611596513715794
Year-End--8818259581,215
FraudThrough August475469462539662
Year-End--687699744918
Breach of Regulation BI*Through August295283112----
Year-End--408216----
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough August252282243270198
Year-End--414402355338
ManipulationThrough August224180170217223
Year-End--273266285316
Elder AbuseThrough August119140123107127
Year-End--212188162172
Unauthorized TradingThrough August86115101117120
Year-End--175149160190
Errors-chargesThrough August57104729659
Year-End--13299127102
TransferThrough August5324213223
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 August214272216321265
Year-End--393349433385
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough August126127149324222
Year-End--197211429421
Corporate BondsThrough August1181731473952
Year-End--2362395779
Mutual FundsThrough August7816997120127
Year-End--294159161177
OptionsThrough August699383116118
Year-End--121153157180
Private EquitiesThrough August6873100110174
Year-End--120146161213
AnnuitiesThrough August5844406355
Year-End--78579893
Structured ProductsThrough August5830152430
Year-End--47383335
401(k)Through August5334232451
Year-End--50354173
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough August3962375065
Year-End--95607695
Variable AnnuitiesThrough August3851295665
Year-End--81487595
Limited PartnershipsThrough August36408597110
Year-End--68122134146
Municipal Bond FundsThrough August35543238103
Year-End--755057136
Preferred StockThrough August3057252027
Year-End--73423137
Business Development Company (BDCs)Through August21326314158
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 August186171142187219
Year-End--294225268309
Promissory NotesThrough August1181005688169
Year-End--15484126229
CompensationThrough August10153545596
Year-End--747784135
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through August67725762100
Year-End--1048489148
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough August52544537114
Year-End--916959152
Wrongful TerminationThrough August4347364171
Year-End--665062101
CommissionsThrough August4124273550
Year-End--36375572
Discrimination or Harassment**Through August1719192529
Year-End--25253638
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough August166111425
Year-End--14212331
Raiding DisputesThrough August1013181220
Year-End--24241328
NegligenceThrough August737412
Year-End--514817
MisrepresentationThrough August645545
Year-End--7121257
FraudThrough August628411
Year-End--613816
IndemnificationThrough August5114310
Year-End--127614
WhistleblowerThrough August594----
Year-End--125----

* 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-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
After Regular Hearing278 (13%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)335 (9%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing16 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)13 (0%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)43 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)101 (3%)
Total337 (16%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)449 (13%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansAug-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties1,234 (58%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation257 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn204 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others111 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total1,806 (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 YTD15112%27% (41 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 YTD104356934%
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
2024178947%
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
202457233440%
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 YTD1321115%
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 YTD3443012%
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 YTD6333% (21 cases)1625% (4 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
Public4,064
Non-Public4,107
Total8,171

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)
2024341350 (88%)136
2023448417 (85%)124
2022596532 (91%)119
2024 vs 2023-24%-16% +10% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through August

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
202412524 (19%)
202316965 (38%)
202212330 (24%)

* 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.