William D. Gerdes
How Judge Gerdes decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In suppression analysis Gerdes applies the Eighth Circuit's Griffin custody factors and the Bordeaux 'interview in a vehicle is noncustodial' line: where the suspect is told he will not be arrested, the door is unlocked, and the interview is short, no Miranda warning is required and statements need only meet the voluntariness ('overborne will') standard.
“White's interview of the defendant on November 30, 2011, was not a custodial situation when viewed in light of those factors. ... Therefore, there was no requirement that White advise defendant of his Miranda rights.”
Procedural preferences
On petty-offense/Class-A-misdemeanor prisoner 2255 motions where he is the magistrate of record (18 U.S.C. 3401), Gerdes conducts the Rule 4 initial consideration himself and dismisses where the claim is procedurally barred or moot -- e.g. denying a 2255 as moot once the relief sought (release / time-served credit) had already been granted by the BOP, and noting that a collateral challenge cannot substitute for a direct appeal.
“I have conducted an initial consideration of the motion, as required by Rule 4 of the Rules Governing Section 2255 Proceedings for the United States District Courts. ... his motion to vacate his revocation sentence is also moot.”
On petty-offense/Class B misdemeanor matters where he is the judge of record under Fed. R. Crim. P. 58, Gerdes rules on dispositive motions himself; where a defendant appeals to the district court under Rule 58(g), the one recorded instance shows his ruling holding up on de novo review -- denying a third-party custodian's motion to dismiss a criminal-contempt information, affirmed on appeal.
“The order of United States Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes denying the defendant's motion to dismiss is affirmed.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The report and recommendation, Doc. 211 in CR 12-10015 and Doc. 71 in CR 12-10039 is adopted. ... The motions, Doc. 149 in CR 12-10015 and Doc. 39 in CR 10039, to suppress are denied.”
“The order of United States Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes denying the defendant's motion to dismiss is affirmed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 54 days (N = 1).
Put Judge Gerdes's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Gerdes actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Gerdes's own signed orders and cites them.