Adjudication and Decisions
When FINRA determines that violations of securities rules have occurred and formal disciplinary action is necessary, the Enforcement Department or Market Regulation Department files a complaint with the Office of Hearing Officers (OHO).
The Office arranges a three-person panel to hear the case. The panel is chaired by a hearing officer who is an employee of the Office of Hearing Officers. The Chief Hearing Officer appoints two industry panelists, drawn primarily from a pool of current and former securities industry members of FINRA's District Committees, as well as its Market Regulation Committee, former members of FINRA's National Adjudicatory Council (NAC) and former FINRA Governors.
At the hearing, the parties present evidence for the panel to determine whether a firm or individual has engaged in conduct that violates FINRA rules, SEC regulations or federal securities laws. In reaching its decision, the hearing panel also considers previous court, SEC, and NAC decisions to determine if violations occurred. The NAC is the national committee which reviews initial decisions rendered in FINRA disciplinary and membership proceedings.
For each case, the hearing panel will issue a written decision explaining the reasons for its ruling and consult the FINRA Sanction Guidelines to determine the appropriate sanctions if violations have occurred. FINRA also, when feasible and appropriate, can order firms and individuals to make restitution to harmed customers.
Appeals Process
Under FINRA's disciplinary procedures, a firm or individual has the right to appeal a hearing panel decision to the NAC, or the NAC may on its own initiate a review of a decision. On appeal, the NAC will determine if a hearing panel's findings were legally correct, factually supported and consistent with FINRA's Sanction Guidelines. While a panel decision is on appeal, the sanction is not enforced against the firm or individual.
Unless FINRA's Board of Governors decides to review the NAC's appellate decision, that decision represents FINRA's final action. A firm or individual can appeal FINRA's decision to the SEC and then to federal court.
Date of Decision | Proceeding No. |
Title![]() |
Type |
---|---|---|---|
Oct 21, 2002 | C10000122 | Vincent J. Puma | Disciplinary Decision |
Apr 14, 2000 | CMS960174 | Vincent M. Carrella | Disciplinary Decision |
Mar 9, 2006 | CAF020048 | Vincent M. Uberti | Disciplinary Decision |
Jan 8, 2008 | CAF020048 | Vincent M. Uberti | Disciplinary Decision |
Oct 15, 2010 | 2007008358101 | Vincent P. McCrudden | Disciplinary Decision |
Aug 12, 1997 | CMS950129 | Vladislav Steven Zubkis | Disciplinary Decision |
Dec 2, 2004 | C02020055 | VMR Capital Markets US | Disciplinary Decision |
Sep 15, 2015 | 2012033508702 | APPEALED: Wall Street Securities, Inc., Gary Savage, Sr., and Louis Karl Kittlaus | Disciplinary Decision |
Sep 14, 2007 | C07050042 | Wanda P. Sears | Disciplinary Decision |
Jul 23, 2009 | C07050042 | Wanda P. Sears | Disciplinary Decision |
Jul 28, 2015 | 2009016159102 | Warren Forest | Disciplinary Decision |
Aug 22, 1997 | CMS920002 | Warren R. Schreiber & Marian S. Gargano | Disciplinary Decision |
Apr 6, 2000 | C07960105 | Wayne B. Vaughan | Disciplinary Decision |
Oct 22, 1998 | C07960105 | Wayne B. Vaughan | Disciplinary Decision |
Mar 15, 2007 | ARB060035 | Wedbush Morgan Securities, Inc. | Expedited Decision, Rule 9550 Expedited Decisions |
Aug 27, 2015 | 2012034934301 | Wedbush Securities Inc. | Disciplinary Decision |
Dec 11, 2014 | 20070094044 | APPEALED: Wedbush Securities, Inc. and Edward William Wedbush | Disciplinary Decision |
Oct 2, 2014 | SD-1798 | Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC | Statutory Disqualification, Approvals |
Aug 13, 2002 | C05010012 | Wendell D. Belden | Disciplinary Decision |
Oct 21, 2010 | 2006005696601 | Westrock Advisors, Inc. | Disciplinary Decision |
Dec 17, 2015 | 2010024889501 | William B. Fretz, Jr, John P. Freeman and The Keystone Equities Group, LP | Disciplinary Decision |
Feb 21, 2014 | 2011029152401 | William Bruce Smith | Disciplinary Decision |
Jun 3, 2016 | 2012030731802 | APPEALED: William H. Murphy & Co., Inc. and William H. Murphy | Disciplinary Decision |
Oct 20, 2011 | 2005003610701 | William J. Murphy, Carl M. Birkelbach, and Birkelbach Investment Securities, Inc. | Disciplinary Decision |
Jul 14, 2017 | 2014042156101 | William Morgan Ditty | Disciplinary Decision |