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Dispute Resolution Statistics

Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics Through July

Contested Motions for Virtual HearingsGrantedDeniedOpenTotal
Customer299 (63%)175 (37%)3479
Intra-Industry163 (76%)51 (24%)0214
Total Customer and Intra-Industry462 (67%)228 (33%)3693

Since the postponement of in-person hearings, and as of July 31, 2,395 arbitration cases have conducted one or more hearings via Zoom (783 customer cases and 1,612 industry cases).

There are 821 total joint motions for virtual hearings. (360 in customer cases and 461 in industry cases).

Arbitration Statistics Through July

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2024Total: 1,494
Customer: 984 (66%)
Intra-Industry: 510 (34%)
1,9342,989Overall*: 12.0
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.7
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.9
Paper Decisions: 5.4
2023Total: 1,914
Customer: 1,093 (57%)
Intra-Industry: 821 (43%)
1,6513,337Overall*: 15.7
Regular Hearing Decisions: 18.1
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2022Total: 1,475
Customer: 916 (62%)
Intra-Industry: 559 (38%)
2,1423,236Overall*: 17.9
Regular Hearing Decisions: 20.1
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.6
Paper Decisions: 5.1
2024 vs 2023Total: -22%
Customer: -10%
Intra-Industry: -38%
+17%-10% Overall*: -24%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -8%
Special Proceeding Decisions: +6%
Paper Decisions: +8%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20241,4941,934
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 July786894705925995
Year-End--1,5181,3401,4451,714
NegligenceThrough July724827641867914
Year-End--1,4081,2611,3711,592
Failure to SuperviseThrough July659683566766838
Year-End--1,1291,0751,2181,433
MisrepresentationThrough July645635519772793
Year-End--1,0789901,1811,384
Breach of ContractThrough July619663527721736
Year-End--1,0951,0481,1101,292
Omission of FactsThrough July546525421627699
Year-End--8818259581,215
SuitabilityThrough July541549503651732
Year-End--9318991,0711,220
FraudThrough July422419375476582
Year-End--687699744918
Breach of Regulation BI*Through July25725181----
Year-End--408216----
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough July218253185236180
Year-End--414402355338
ManipulationThrough July204161138188200
Year-End--273266285316
Elder AbuseThrough July10712710194115
Year-End--212188162172
Unauthorized TradingThrough July7610287107105
Year-End--175149160190
Errors-chargesThrough July5195608755
Year-End--13299127102
TransferThrough July4818252822
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 July186234181288239
Year-End--393349433385
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough July113118123278177
Year-End--197211429421
Corporate BondsThrough July1031531063646
Year-End--2362395779
Mutual FundsThrough July7414678108111
Year-End--294159161177
Private EquitiesThrough July62638593166
Year-End--120146161213
OptionsThrough July598365100108
Year-End--121153157180
AnnuitiesThrough July5739385048
Year-End--78579893
Structured ProductsThrough July5225101927
Year-End--47383335
401(k)Through July5127212046
Year-End--50354173
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough July3654294660
Year-End--95607695
Variable AnnuitiesThrough July3448274859
Year-End--81487595
Limited PartnershipsThrough July31366583100
Year-End--68122134146
Municipal Bond FundsThrough July2944263588
Year-End--755057136
Preferred StockThrough July2850201923
Year-End--73423137
Business Development Company (BDCs)Through July19315512735
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 July154145130163195
Year-End--294225268309
Promissory NotesThrough July109735177158
Year-End--15484126229
CompensationThrough July8445514988
Year-End--747784135
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through July6163545390
Year-End--1048489148
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough July4847433297
Year-End--916959152
Wrongful TerminationThrough July4042353764
Year-End--665062101
CommissionsThrough July3319253146
Year-End--36375572
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough July164111319
Year-End--14212331
Discrimination or Harassment*Through July1317182127
Year-End--25253638
Raiding DisputesThrough July109161117
Year-End--24241328
NegligenceThrough July72729
Year-End--514817
MisrepresentationThrough July635434
Year-End--7121257
IndemnificationThrough July582210
Year-End--127614
FraudThrough July517312
Year-End--613816
WhistleblowerThrough July484----
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 ArbitratorsJuly-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
After Regular Hearing244 (13%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)335 (9%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing15 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)13 (0%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)40 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)101 (3%)
Total299 (16%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)449 (13%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansJuly-2024 (% of Cases)2023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties1,108 (58%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation232 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn180 (9%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others100 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total1,620 (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 YTD13512%28% (38 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 YTD92326035%
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
2024157847%
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
202451213041%
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 YTD1221017%
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 YTD3142713%
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 YTD5732% (18 cases)1429% (4 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
Public4,082
Non-Public4,173
Total8,255

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

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 July

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2024297319 (87%)141
2023407370 (85%)124
2022527419 (89%)117
2024 vs 2023-27%-14% +14% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through July

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
202411523 (20%)
202315665 (42%)
202211127 (24%)

* 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.