As pandemic-related restrictions continue to ease around the country, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has announced a transition back to in-person arbitration hearings. Over the last year, FINRA has conducted virtual hearings via Zoom. While many cases are moving forward virtually, FINRA is now opening up the option for in-person hearings once again. Here are some highlights from a recent FINRA report about arbitration hearings in 2021.
FINRA Resumes In-Person Arbitration Hearings
Now that state restrictions have relaxed, FINRA is allowing in-person hearings to occur, as long as all parties and arbitrators consent to participate and comply with state and local health guidelines. FINRA revealed that there have been four in-person proceedings that have taken place since March 2021. However, three of these cases moved to postpone the in-person dates and proceed virtually, citing health and safety concerns, while the other one successfully completed the in-person hearings at the end of January 2021. While the process for returning to in-person hearings is moving forward slowly, FINRA expects this trend to grow steadily in the coming months.
Virtual Arbitration Hearing Statistics in 2021
As of February 28, 2021, 206 arbitrations were held over Zoom (82 were customer cases and 124 were industry cases). Additionally, FINRA received 555 motions for Zoom hearings by the end of February, 342 of which were contested motions and 213 of which were joint motions. Of the 342 contested motions, 266 were customer contested motions (150 granted, 81 denied, 35 open), and 76 were intra-industry contested motions (54 granted, 17 denied, 5 open). As of April 2021, a total of 1,024 new case filings have occurred (68 percent customer cases and 32 percent intra-industry cases).
How a Securities Law Attorney Can Help
As soon as FINRA notifies you that you’re under investigation or facing an upcoming arbitration hearing, you should contact a knowledgeable and experienced securities law attorney to discuss your options. For many financial industry professionals, this process can feel daunting and intimidating. Your attorney will answer your questions and address your concerns, giving you the information and tools you need to navigate this process with confidence.
If you need help with an upcoming FINRA arbitration hearing, reach out to Judex Law LLC today at (303) 523-4022 to discuss your options with an experienced securities law attorney.
