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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through March

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2026Total: 656
Customer: 450 (69%)
Intra-Industry: 206 (31%)
6122,923Overall*: 13.7
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.4
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.6
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2025Total: 603
Customer: 387 (64%)
Intra-Industry: 216 (36%)
6822,731Overall*: 13.6
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.7
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.2
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2024Total: 638
Customer: 422 (66%)
Intra-Industry: 216 (34%)
8583,202Overall*: 11.9
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.8
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 5.4
2026 vs 2025Total: +9%
Customer: +16%
Intra-Industry: -5%
-10%+7% Overall*: +1%
Regular Hearing Decisions: +4%
Special Proceeding Decisions: +6%
Paper Decisions: 0%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
2026656612
20252,5972,567
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20203,9023,564
20193,7574,011
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20143,8223,838
20133,7144,498
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2026 Cases served2025202420232022
NegligenceThrough March332248308335256
Year-End--1,1131,1261,4081,261
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough March214269342364273
Year-End--1,1621,2521,5181,340
Failure to SuperviseThrough March302214286267222
Year-End--1,0221,0501,1291,075
MisrepresentationThrough March268233280247200
Year-End--1,0151,0321,078990
Breach of ContractThrough March259195257271205
Year-End--8999931,0951,048
Omission of FactsThrough March246202230216166
Year-End--867851881825
SuitabilityThrough March212179227227184
Year-End--786853931899
FraudThrough March181155173178149
Year-End--632679687699
Breach of Regulation BIThrough March15210810010113
Year-End--528448408216
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough March100669511757
Year-End--318342414402
ManipulationThrough March7182736648
Year-End--343325273266
Elder AbuseThrough March6241485536
Year-End--207170212188
Unauthorized TradingThrough March5439424653
Year-End--159119175149
Third Party Fraud*Through March3811------
Year-End--84151--
Errors-chargesThrough March3530253726
Year-End--1257913299

*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 Period2026 Cases Served2025202420232022
Common StockThrough March88818111688
Year-End--318304393349
OptionsThrough March3530234335
Year-End--13187121153
Private EquitiesThrough March3331282237
Year-End--12894120146
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough March3136595752
Year-End--166164197211
Mutual FundsThrough March2927425535
Year-End--125113294159
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough March2923191813
Year-End--86689560
Structured ProductsThrough March261322103
Year-End--64834738
Limited PartnershipsThrough March2017171721
Year-End--665768122
Corporate BondsThrough March1526535314
Year-End--101169236239
AnnuitiesThrough March1521251912
Year-End--65877857
Variable AnnuitiesThrough March1520141311
Year-End--53568148
Cryptocurrency*Through March147------
Year-End--343----
401(k)Through March1219341010
Year-End--61695035
Municipal Bond FundsThrough March1014131415
Year-End--51517550
Preferred StockThrough March710152110
Year-End--27397342

*These categories were not tracked for the years in which no data appears.

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSYTime Period2026 Cases Served2025202420232022
Breach of ContractThrough March6374746051
Year-End--257283294225
Promissory NotesThrough March4733553220
Year-End--16717115484
Wrongful TerminationThrough March3214151810
Year-End--64656650
CompensationThrough March3123261815
Year-End--751567477
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough March2211241420
Year-End--61749169
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through March2114312818
Year-End--829010484
Discrimination or Harassment*Through March174573
Year-End--21282525
CommissionsThrough March1213101010
Year-End--36743637
WhistleblowerThrough March7224-
Year-End--1012125
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough March519721
Year-End--31271421
MisrepresentationThrough March533-1
Year-End--157712
Raiding DisputesThrough March413657
Year-End--23162424
Breach of ContractThrough March46---
Year-End--257283294225
PartnershipsThrough March41211
Year-End--5643
FraudThrough March34311
Year-End--1211613

* 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-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
After Regular Hearing76 (13%)412 (16%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing5 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)25 (4%)79 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)
Total106 (18%)508 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansMar-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
Direct Settlement by Parties293 (49%)1,118 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)
Settled via Mediation75 (12%)371 (15%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)
Withdrawn89 (15%)310 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)
All Others41 (7%)232 (9%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)
Total498 (82%)2,031 (80%)2,559 (83%)2,463 (82%)2,917 (82%)

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
2026 YTD6817%31% (21 cases)
202524014%28% (67 cases)
202423213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 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
2026 YTD41162539%
20251635410933%
20241604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%

*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
2026136746%
202544251957%
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
2026178947%
202568234534%
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
2026 YTD52340%
2025150150%
20242041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%

 

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
2026 YTD2231914%
202562134921%
20245284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%

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
2026 YTD2646% (12 cases)1010% (1 case)
202510935% (38 cases)3129% (9 cases)
202410231% (32 cases)2818% (5 cases)
202312232% (39 cases)4626% (12 cases)
202214142% (59 cases)5137% (19 cases)
202113939% (54 cases)4630% (14 cases)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator TypeTotal
Public4,061
Non-Public4,081
Total8,142

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)
2026124107 (80%)105
2025142116 (83%)129
2024130119 (86%)91
2026 vs 2025-13%-8% -19% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through March

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
20266416 (25%)
20254418 (41%)
20245213 (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.