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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through December

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2025Total: 2,597
Customer: 1,643 (63%)
Intra-Industry: 954 (37%)
2,5672,843Overall*: 13.4
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.9
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.8
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2024Total: 2,469
Customer: 1,594 (65%)
Intra-Industry: 875 (35%)
3,1082,806Overall*: 12.5
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.4
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.3
Paper Decisions: 5.4
2023Total: 3,382
Customer: 1,892 (55%)
Intra-Industry: 1,490 (44%)
3,0273,411Overall*: 14.6
Regular Hearing Decisions: 17.3
Special Proceeding Decisions: 8.2
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2025 vs 2024Total: +5%
Customer: +3%
Intra-Industry: +9%
-17%+1% Overall*: +7%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -3%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -7%
Paper Decisions: -7%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20252,5972,567
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
20203,9023,564
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20193,7574,011
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
20143,8223,838
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20133,7144,498
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571
20084,9823,757

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2025 Cases served2024202320222021
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough December1,1621,2521,5181,3401,445
Year-End--1,2521,5181,3401,445
NegligenceThrough December1,1131,1261,4081,2611,371
Year-End--1,1261,4081,2611,371
Failure to SuperviseThrough December1,0221,0501,1291,0751,218
Year-End--1,0501,1291,0751,218
MisrepresentationThrough December1,0151,0321,0789901,181
Year-End--1,0321,0789901,181
Breach of ContractThrough December8999931,0951,0481,110
Year-End--9931,0951,0481,110
Omission of FactsThrough December867851881825958
Year-End--851881825958
SuitabilityThrough December7868539318991,071
Year-End--8539318991,071
FraudThrough December632679687699744
Year-End--679687699744
Breach of Regulation BI*Through December52844840821640
Year-End--44840821640
ManipulationThrough December343325273266285
Year-End--325273266285
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough December318342414402355
Year-End--342414402355
Elder AbuseThrough December207170212188162
Year-End--170212188162
Unauthorized TradingThrough December159119175149160
Year-End--119175149160
Errors-chargesThrough December1257913299127
Year-End--7913299127
TransferThrough December7870385246
Year-End--70385246

*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 Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Common StockThrough December318304393349433
Year-End--304393349433
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough December166164197211429
Year-End--164197211429
OptionsThrough December13187121153157
Year-End--87121153157
Private EquitiesThrough December12894120146161
Year-End--94120146161
Mutual FundsThrough December125113294159161
Year-End--113294159161
Corporate BondsThrough December10116923623957
Year-End--16923623957
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough December8668956076
Year-End--68956076
Limited PartnershipsThrough December665768122134
Year-End--5768122134
AnnuitiesThrough December6587785798
Year-End--87785798
Structured ProductsThrough December6483473833
Year-End--83473833
401(k)Through December6169503541
Year-End--69503541
Variable AnnuitiesThrough December5356814875
Year-End--56814875
Municipal Bond FundsThrough December5151755057
Year-End--51755057
Cryptocurrency*Through December343------
Year-End--3------
Preferred StockThrough December2739734231
Year-End--39734231

*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 Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Breach of ContractThrough December257283294225268
Year-End--283294225268
Promissory NotesThrough December16717115484126
Year-End--17115484126
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through December82901048489
Year-End--901048489
CompensationThrough December75156747784
Year-End--156747784
Wrongful TerminationThrough December6465665062
Year-End--65665062
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough December6174916959
Year-End--74916959
CommissionsThrough December3674363755
Year-End--74363755
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough December3127142123
Year-End--27142123
Raiding DisputesThrough December2316242413
Year-End--16242413
Discrimination or Harassment*Through December2128252536
Year-End--28252536
MisrepresentationThrough December15771212
Year-End--771212
FraudThrough December12116138
Year-End--116138
WhistleblowerThrough December10121250
Year-End--121250
NegligenceThrough December885149
Year-End--85149
IndemnificationThrough December861276
Year-End--61276

* 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 ArbitratorsDec-2025 (% of Cases)2024202320222021
After Regular Hearing412 (16%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing17 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)79 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)
Total508 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansDec-2025 (% of Cases)20242023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties1,118 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation371 (15%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn310 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others232 (9%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total2,031 (80%)2,559 (83%)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
2025 YTD24014%28% (67 cases)
202423213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 cases)
20201939%32% (62 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
2025 YTD1635410933%
20241604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%
2020120417934%

*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
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
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
2025 YTD150150%
20242041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%
202051420%

 

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
2025 YTD62134921%
20245284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%
202068204829%

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
2025 YTD10935% (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)
20207633% (25 cases)2623% (6 cases)
201914953% (79 cases)4728% (13 cases)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator TypeTotal
Public3,989
Non-Public4,000
Total7,989

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

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 December

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2025470496 (83%)123
2024469499 (87%)130
2023637617 (85%)121
2025 vs 20240%-1% -5% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through December

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
202519542 (22%)
202417340 (23%)
202321882 (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.