End of an era: Judge Buchanan to retire in January

“I didn’t know any lawyers but people always told me I should be a lawyer because I debate all the time,” Buchanan said. “So, I took the LSAT test and did well and ended up going to law school.” The move paid off. After almost 30 years as a judge, Buchanan will retire Jan. 30, 2023 – ten years to the day after she first took the job. A district judge must serve 10 years before they can retire. Buchanan, who is at least a third-generation Idahoan, grew up in Moscow and went to law school at University of Idaho and then clerked for a few years at the Idaho Supreme Court.