Zachary M. Bluestone
How Judge Bluestone decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On removal/remand, will remand once a plaintiff files an affidavit credibly capping recovery (including statutory attorney's fees) below the $75,000 diversity threshold; the operative-statute language on who collects fees matters, and a binding stipulation is enforced via the duty of candor rather than requiring magic words about binding counsel.
“the Court finds that the revised affidavit ensures that the amount in controversy does not exceed $75,000, thereby requiring a remand for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.”
Procedural preferences
Reads Rule 15(a) strictly in multi-defendant cases: the 21-day amendment-as-of-right window runs from the earliest defensive action, and an amended complaint filed without leave or consent will be STRUCK sua sponte rather than accepted. Move for leave under Rule 15(a)(2) and Local Rule 4.07.
“the Court must strike the amended pleading as improper because Plaintiffs had neither leave nor consent.”
For related cases sharing common questions, follows Local Rule 4.03: the judge on the lowest-numbered case rules on consolidation and presides over the consolidated matter. Expect consolidation 'for all purposes' where common fact/law questions risk inconsistent adjudications.
“In this Court, the judge presiding over the lowest-numbered case is responsible for ruling on such requests and, if the motion is granted, presiding over the consolidated cases. See E.D. MO. L.R. 4.03.”
Cautions
Will impose monetary sanctions and compel compliance for discovery gamesmanship: piecemeal/non-responsive Rule 26(a) disclosures and a no-show at a properly noticed deposition drew a $1,775 sanction and an order to appear, with more sanctions reserved. Meet discovery obligations and appear when noticed.
“the Court grants the motion to compel Henreid to appear for a deposition and sanctions Henreid $1,775 for his failure to appear at his original deposition.”
Enforces basic threshold requirements: suing admittedly improper defendants and failing to effect proper service will get the case dismissed (without prejudice) without reaching the merits. Name the correct defendant and perfect service.
“Because Plaintiff Reva Caldwell sued several improper defendants by her own admission and otherwise failed to effect service, the Court dismisses this action without prejudice.”
Motion outcomes
Counted from classified signed orders only. Percentages are shown only where the sample is large enough to be meaningful; smaller samples are reported as raw counts.
| Motion for extension of time N = 2 |
Moot / procedural: 2 | counts only |
| Motions to remand N = 1 |
Granted: 1 | counts only |
| Motions to dismiss N = 1 |
Granted: 1 | counts only |
| Motion to consolidate N = 1 |
Granted in part: 1 | counts only |
| Motion to appoint counsel N = 1 |
Granted: 1 | counts only |
| Motions to compel N = 1 |
Granted in part: 1 | counts only |
| Motion to deny pending motions to dismiss N = 1 |
Moot / procedural: 1 | counts only |
A "1 of 1" is one ruling, not a tendency. Treat small samples as illustrative, not predictive.
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Longo’s [21] second motion to remand, DENIES as moot Longo’s [25] motion to extend time to file a response to the motion to compel arbitration, and DENIES without prejudice CCM Partners’s [27] motion to extend time to file a reply to the motion to compel arbitration.”
“DENIES as moot Longo’s [25] motion to extend time to file a response to the motion to compel arbitration”
“DENIES without prejudice CCM Partners’s [27] motion to extend time to file a reply to the motion to compel arbitration”
“Because Plaintiff Reva Caldwell sued several improper defendants by her own admission and otherwise failed to effect service, the Court dismisses this action without prejudice.”
“the Court grants the Motion to Consolidate Cases in part and grants the motions to appoint counsel as orally modified.”
“the Court grants the Motion to Consolidate Cases in part and grants the motions to appoint counsel as orally modified.”
“the Court grants the motion to compel Henreid to appear for a deposition and sanctions Henreid $1,775 for his failure to appear at his original deposition. The Court will consider the remaining discovery disputes and all other sanction issues at the status hearing on March 17, 2026.”
“Additionally, the Court DENIES as moot Plaintiffs’ [67] Motion to Deny Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 268 days (N = 5).
Not systematically enumerated. The 3 analyzed dockets span an employment-discrimination case removed then remanded (Longo), a federal-sector Title VII suit against the Postmaster General (Caldwell), and a consolidated ERISA 401(k) class action (O'Donnell). Bluestone's broader docket (from observed cases) includes ERISA, employment, and personal-injury matters.