Dispute Resolution Statistics

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Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through January

Contested Motions for Virtual Hearings Granted Denied Open Total
Customer 235 (62%) 146 (38%) 11 392
Intra-Industry 111 (74%) 40 (26%) 4 155
Total Customer and Intra-Industry 346 (65%) 186 (35%) 15 547

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of January 31, 671 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (289 customer cases and 382 industry cases).

There are 518 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (221 in customer cases and 297 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through January

Year New Case Filings Cases Closed Open Cases Turnaround Time (in months)
2022 Total: 193
Customer: 108 (56%)
Intra-Industry: 85 (44%)		 297 3,785 Overall*: 18.1
Regular Hearing Decisions: 20.0
Special Proceeding Decisions: 5.9
Paper Decisions: 4.9
2021 Total: 222
Customer: 141 (64%)
Intra-Industry: 81 (36%)		 297 5,057 Overall*: 14.6
Regular Hearing Decisions: 11.4
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.0
Paper Decisions: 6.7
2020 Total: 296
Customer: 160 (54%)
Intra-Industry: 136 (46%)		 337 4,756 Overall*: 16.5
Regular Hearing Decisions: 17.4
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.3
Paper Decisions: 4.6
2022 vs 2021 Total: -13%
Customer: -23%
Intra-Industry: +5%		 0% -25%  Overall*: +24%
Regular Hearing Decisions: +75%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -16%
Paper Decisions: -27%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

Year Cases Filed Cases Closed
2022 193 297
2021 2,893 4,029
2020 3,902 3,564
2019 3,757 4,011
2018 4,325 3,756
2017 3,456 3,735
Year Cases Filed Cases Closed
2016 3,681 3,635
2015 3,435 3,489
2014 3,822 3,838
2013 3,714 4,498
2012 4,299 4,877
2011 4,729 6,099
Year Cases Filed Cases Closed
2010 5,680 6,241
2009 7,137 4,571
2008 4,982 3,757
2007 3,238 5,345
2006 4,614 7,212
2005 6,074 9,043

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

Controversy   2022 Cases served 2021 2020 2019 2018
Breach of Fiduciary Duty Through January 88 123 134 176 198
Year-End -- 1,445 1,714 2,053 2,290
Negligence Through January 81 115 121 166 159
Year-End -- 1,371 1,592 1,826 1,974
Breach of Contract Through January 74 90 95 144 138
Year-End -- 1,110 1,292 1,563 1,711
Failure to Supervise Through January 72 98 112 157 157
Year-End -- 1,218 1,433 1,731 1,935
Misrepresentation Through January 70 101 110 112 153
Year-End -- 1,181 1,384 1,688 1,775
Suitability Through January 62 85 96 113 165
Year-End -- 1,071 1,220 1,580 1,779
Omission of Facts Through January 56 93 97 102 140
Year-End -- 958 1,215 1,468 1,547
Fraud Through January 45 64 82 131 135
Year-End -- 744 918 1,499 1,707
Violation of Blue Sky Laws Through January 21 23 28 72 68
Year-End -- 355 338 657 810
Unauthorized Trading Through January 16 22 19 24 19
Year-End -- 160 190 197 245
Manipulation Through January 15 28 23 28 16
Year-End -- 285 316 384 302
Margin Calls Through January 8 10 3 9 7
Year-End -- 76 68 88 85
Elder Abuse Through January 8 9 22 14 21
Year-End -- 162 172 207 216
Churning Through January 7 14 18 16 18
Year-End -- 112 115 167 205
Execution Error Through January 7 8 8 5 4
Year-End -- 84 91 51 75

Top 15 Security Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple security types.

Security   2022 Cases served 2021 2020 2019 2018
Common Stock Through January 32 41 26 51 69
Year-End -- 433 385 436 579
Real Estate Investment Trust Through January 19 33 22 18 9
Year-End -- 429 421 236 205
Mutual Funds Through January 12 19 17 76 54
Year-End -- 161 177 526 731
Business Development Company Through January 12 17 3 0 0
Year-End -- 177 218 26 20
Private Equities Through January 12 6 18 9 8
Year-End -- 161 213 149 111
Options Through January 9 10 10 24 17
Year-End -- 157 180 204 150
Municipal Bond Funds Through January 5 9 27 78 60
Year-End -- 57 136 717 959
Municipal Bonds Through January 5 8 25 74 75
Year-End -- 51 148 702 971
Limited Partnerships Through January 4 8 12 11 13
Year-End -- 134 146 128 144
401(k) Through January 4 2 5 9 5
Year-End -- 41 73 58 94
Preferred Stock Through January 3 4 1 4 7
Year-End -- 31 37 40 59
Warrants/Rights Through January 3 1 0 3 13
Year-End -- 18 16 11 45
Variable Annuities Through January 2 3 15 9 2
Year-End -- 75 95 109 105
Annuities Through January 2 3 7 11 4
Year-End -- 98 93 97 101
Exchange-Traded Funds Through January 2 7 6 14 13
Year-End -- 76 95 138 167

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSY   2022 Cases Served 2021 2020 2019 2018
Breach of Contract Through January 16 19 34 42 32
Year-End -- 268 309 345 413
Promissory Notes Through January 8 9 38 27 31
Year-End -- 126 229 240 261
Libel, Slander, or Defamation Through January 6 7 7 24 10
Year-End -- 59 152 135 166
Libel or Slander on Form U-5 Through January 4 8 18 16 9
Year-End -- 89 148 119 135
Compensation Through January 3 8 20 12 11
Year-End -- 84 135 135 168
Commissions Through January 2 4 11 5 7
Year-End -- 55 72 82 95
Wrongful Termination Through January 1 8 10 14 9
Year-End -- 62 101 102 122
Discrimination or Harassment* Through January 1 5 2 7 5
Year-End -- 36 38 46 38
Raiding Disputes Through January 1 1 2 0 1
Year-End -- 13 28 21 37
Breach of Fiduciary Duty Through January 0 3 3 7 11
Year-End -- 23 31 30 39
Misrepresentation Through January 0 2 3 10 15
Year-End -- 12 57 29 68
Negligence Through January 0 1 2 7 8
Year-End -- 9 17 17 32
Fraud Through January 0 1 2 1 8
Year-End -- 8 16 11 24
Omission of Facts Through January 0 2 4 4 4
Year-End -- 6 11 14 18
Failure to Supervise Through January 0 1 2 0 2
Year-End -- 3 10 7 11

* 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 Arbitrators 2022 (% of Cases) 2021 2020 2019 2018
After Regular Hearing 43 (15%) 497 (12%) 335 (9%) 527 (13%) 517 (14%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing 3 (1%) 34 (1%) 13 (0%) 12 (0%) n/a
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases) 7 (2%) 102 (2%) 101 (3%) 96 (2%) 130 (4%)
Total 53 (18%) 633 (15%) 449 (13%) 635 (16%) 647 (17%)
Cases Resolved by Other Means 2022 (% of Cases) 2021 2020 2019 2018
Direct Settlement by Parties 138 (47%) 2,418 (59%) 2,060 (58%) 2,269 (57%) 2,005 (54%)
Settled via Mediation 55 (19%) 458 (11%) 477 (13%) 513 (13%) 493 (13%)
Withdrawn 32 (11%) 384 (9%) 329 (9%) 343 (9%) 333 (9%)
All Others 16 (5%) 216 (5%) 243 (7%) 203 (5%) 233 (6%)
Total 241 (82%) 3,476 (85%) 3,109 (87%) 3,328 (84%) 3,064 (83%)

Results of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases

Year Decided All Customer Claimant Cases Decided (Hearings, Special Procedures & Paper) Percentage Decided of All Customer Claimant Cases Closed Percentage (and Number) of Cases where Customer Awarded Damages
2022 32 15% 31% (10 cases)
2021 328 13% 31% (103 cases)
2020 193 9% 32% (62 cases)
2019 313 13% 45% (141 cases)
2018 359 15% 40% (145 cases)
2017 352 14% 43% (151 cases)
2016 389 16% 41% (158 cases)

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Regular Hearing Only)*

Year Decided Customer Claimant Cases Decided (Hearing Only) Hearing Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages Hearing Customer Claimant Not Awarded Damages Percentage of Customer Award Hearing Cases
2022 23 6 17 26%
2021 231 86 145 37%
2020 120 41 79 34%
2019 241 109 132 45%
2018 274 115 159 42%
2017 272 122 150 45%
2016 272 114 158 42%

*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 Decided Customer Claimant Cases Decided Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages Customer Claimant Not Awarded Damages Percentage of Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages
2022 14 6 8 43%
2021 136 60 76 44%
2020 30 12 18 40%

*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 Decided Customer Claimant Cases Decided Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages Customer Claimant Not Awarded Damages Percentage of Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages
2022 2 0 2 0%
2021 46 22 24 48%
2020 34 17 17 50%

*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 Decided Customer Claimant Cases Decided (Special Proceeding Only) Special Proceeding Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages Special Proceeding Customer Claimant Not Awarded Damages Percentage of Customer Award Special Proceeding Cases
2022 3 2 1 67%
2021 16 2 14 13%
2020 5 1 4 20%
2019 8 1 7 13%

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Paper Only)

Year Decided Customer Claimant Cases Decided (Paper Only) Paper Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages Customer Claimant Not Awarded Damages Percentage of Customer Award Paper Cases
2022 6 2 4 33%
2021 81 15 66 19%
2020 68 20 48 29%
2019 64 31 33 48%
2018 85 30 55 35%
2017 80 29 51 36%
2016 117 44 73 38%

Results of All-Public Panels and Majority Public Panels in Customer Cases

Year Decided Cases Decided by All-Public Panels Percentage (and Number) of Cases Decided by 3 Public Arbitrators where Customer Awarded Damages Cases Decided by Majority-Public Panels Percentage (and Number) of Cases Decided by 2 Public Arbitrators and 1 Non-Public Arbitrator where Customer Awarded Damages
2022 14 36% (5 cases) 6 0% (0 cases)
2021 139 39% (54 cases) 46 30% (14 cases)
2020 76 33% (25 cases) 26 23% (6 cases)
2019 149 53% (79 cases) 47 28% (13 cases)
2018 158 42% (67 cases) 58 47% (27 cases)
2017 137 48% (66 cases) 71 37% (26 cases)
2016 145 43% (63 cases) 72 36% (26 cases)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator Type Total
Public 3,998
Non-Public 4,305
Total 8,303

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.

Special Arbitrator Roster

Arbitrator Pool Name Public Chairpersons Public Arbitrators Non-Public Arbitrators
Puerto Rico Bond Fund 217 749 647

Mediation Statistics Through January

Year Cases in Agreement Cases Closed (Percent Settled) Turnaround Time (in days)
2022 77 33 (91%) 140
2021 29 23 (87%) 90
2020 56 69 (88%) 110
2022 vs 2021 +166% +43%  +56% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through January

Year to Date Number of Requests* Parties Agreed (%)
2022 19 3 (16%)
2021 21 5 (24%)
2020 8 3 (38%)

* 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.