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Dispute Resolution Statistics

Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through March

Contested Motions for Virtual HearingsGrantedDeniedOpenTotal
Customer294 (63%)175 (37%)2471
Intra-Industry157 (75%)51 (25%)2210
Total Customer and Intra-Industry451 (67%)226 (33%)4681

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of March 31, 2,125 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (734 customer cases and 1,391 industry cases).

There are 806 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (352 in customer cases and 454 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through March

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2024Total: 638
Customer: 422 (66%)
Intra-Industry: 216 (34%)
8613,202Overall*: 11.9
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.8
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 5.4
2023Total: 711
Customer: 443 (62%)
Intra-Industry: 268 (38%)
6993,135Overall*: 17.2
Regular Hearing Decisions: 19.7
Special Proceeding Decisions: 4.7
Paper Decisions: 4.9
2022Total: 631
Customer: 369 (58%)
Intra-Industry: 262 (42%)
9663,594Overall*: 17.5
Regular Hearing Decisions: 18.2
Special Proceeding Decisions: 8.1
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2024 vs 2023Total: -10%
Customer: -5%
Intra-Industry: -19%
+23%+2% Overall*: -31%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -15%
Special Proceeding Decisions: +38%
Paper Decisions: +10%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
2024638861
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 March342364273415417
Year-End--1,5181,3401,4451,714
NegligenceThrough March308335256391369
Year-End--1,4081,2611,3711,592
Failure to SuperviseThrough March286267222324347
Year-End--1,1291,0751,2181,433
MisrepresentationThrough March280247200348341
Year-End--1,0789901,1811,384
Breach of ContractThrough March257271205297305
Year-End--1,0951,0481,1101,292
Omission of FactsThrough March230216166308301
Year-End--8818259581,215
SuitabilityThrough March227227184271324
Year-End--9318991,0711,220
FraudThrough March173178149200263
Year-End--687699744918
Breach of Regulation BI*Through March10010113----
Year-End--408216----
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough March951175710976
Year-End--414402355338
ManipulationThrough March7366488579
Year-End--273266285316
Elder AbuseThrough March4855364448
Year-End--212188162172
Unauthorized TradingThrough March4246535345
Year-End--175149160190
Errors-chargesThrough March2537265018
Year-End--13299127102
TransferThrough March24412137
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 March811168813682
Year-End--393349433385
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough March595752125164
Year-End--197211429421
Corporate BondsThrough March535314218
Year-End--2362395779
Mutual FundsThrough March4255355341
Year-End--294159161177
401(k)Through March341010722
Year-End--50354173
Private EquitiesThrough March2822374466
Year-End--120146161213
AnnuitiesThrough March2519122121
Year-End--78579893
OptionsThrough March2343356238
Year-End--121153157180
Structured ProductsThrough March221031011
Year-End--47383335
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough March1918132221
Year-End--95607695
Limited PartnershipsThrough March1717214140
Year-End--68122134146
Preferred StockThrough March15211066
Year-End--73423137
Variable AnnuitiesThrough March1413112425
Year-End--81487595
Municipal Bond FundsThrough March1314151950
Year-End--755057136
Business Development Company (BDCs)Through March101722709
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 March7460517988
Year-End--294225268309
Promissory NotesThrough March5532203791
Year-End--15484126229
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through March3128182544
Year-End--1048489148
CompensationThrough March2618152442
Year-End--747784135
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough March2414201435
Year-End--916959152
Wrongful TerminationThrough March1518102226
Year-End--665062101
CommissionsThrough March1010101421
Year-End--36375572
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough March72168
Year-End--14212331
Raiding DisputesThrough March65736
Year-End--24241328
Discrimination or Harassment*Through March573108
Year-End--25253638
FraudThrough March31124
Year-End--613816
MisrepresentationThrough March301315
Year-End--7121257
IndemnificationThrough March23114
Year-End--127614
NegligenceThrough March20223
Year-End--514817
WhistleblowerThrough March240----
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 ArbitratorsMar-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
After Regular Hearing109 (13%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)335 (9%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing5 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)13 (0%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)20 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)101 (3%)
Total134 (16%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)449 (13%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansMar-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties480 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation108 (13%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn97 (11%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others36 (4%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total721 (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 YTD6112%26% (16 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 YTD41142734%
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
202484450%
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
20242171433%
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 YTD5140%
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 YTD151147%
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 YTD2232% (7 cases)825% (2 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
Public4,102
Non-Public4,235
Total8,337

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

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 March

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2024130119 (86%)91
2023229157 (82%)125
2022236165 (92%)182
2024 vs 2023-43%-24% -27% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through March

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
2024578 (14%)
2023457 (16%)
20224811 (23%)

* 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.