--- title: "Donna Bucher | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donna-bucher-sd-limited" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Donna Bucher South Dakota Magistrate Court · Magistrate Judge ## Profile - Court: South Dakota Magistrate Court - State: South Dakota - Role: Magistrate Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Magistrate Judge, First Judicial Circuit Mitchell - appointed Aug 2017 by Presiding Jensen filling Swanson, bench Sept 2017 - Donna L. Bucher is a Magistrate Judge in the First Judicial Circuit of South Dakota, appointed in August 2017, serving from the Mitchell courthouse in Mitchell, SD - Donna L. Bucher was appointed magistrate judge in South Dakota’s First Judicial Circuit in August 2017 by Presiding Judge Steven Jensen, succeeding Gordon Swanson after his elevation to circuit judge. - Private practice Tinan Smith & Bucher Mitchell 1991-2017 criminal defense family ### Education - Augustana College BA in 1979 and a Creighton University JD in 1984. ### Additional information - Appointed: August 1, 2017, by Presiding Judge Steve Jensen to replace Judge Gordon Swanson - Practiced with Tinan, Smith & Bucher in Mitchell from 1991, with a focus on criminal defense and family law. - Part-time Deputy State's Attorney Mitchell 1986-1988 - Asst Public Defender Minnehaha 1984-1986 - Professional focus: Legal expertise in family law and civil matters, as reflected in her judicial assignments - The record notes that sD UJS Judge Directory: Donna Bucher’s official profile SD Judicial System - Bucher’s appointment was part of a judicial transition in the First Circuit, ensuring continuity in case handling - Listed among the circuit’s judges in the official SD UJS directory, alongside other magistrate and circuit judges - Before judicial service she was employed by two years as a Minnehaha County assistant public defender and two years as a part-time deputy state’s attorney in Mitchell. - A; u; g; u; s; t; a; n; a; - C; o; l; l; e; g; e; - A;; 1; 9; 7; 9; - M; i; l; b; a; n; k; - C; r; e; i; g; h; t; o; n; - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y; - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w; - J - D;; 1; 9; 8; 4 - She grew up in Milbank and attended Milbank High School; she also served church and nonprofit organizations. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic devices and media Scope: statewide South Dakota's published statewide guidance permits expanded media coverage in circuit and magistrate proceedings only when the parties and court agree, and the court may modify the coverage at any time. Evidence excerpt: Expanded media coverage (audio, video and still photos) is allowed when the parties of the case and the court all agree that such coverage should be permitted. [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [Official roster](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/first-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-first-judicial-circuit/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System Directory](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) - [Donna Bucher appointed 1st Circuit Magistrate Judge](https://korncountry921.com/2017/08/07/donna-bucher-appointed-1st-circuit-magistrate-judge/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/First_Circuit/Links/Contacts.aspx) - [Donna Bucher appointed 1st Circuit Magistrate Judge](https://korncountry921.com/2017/08/07/donna-bucher-appointed-1st-circuit-magistrate-judge/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/First_Circuit/Links/Contacts.aspx) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System official judicial roster](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) - [Donna Bucher appointed 1st Circuit Magistrate Judge](https://korncountry921.com/2017/08/07/donna-bucher-appointed-1st-circuit-magistrate-judge/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/First_Circuit/Links/Contacts.aspx) - [ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/Donna_Bucher) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/donna-bucher/) - [prabook.com](https://prabook.com/web/donna_l.bucher/3172804) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System official judicial roster](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) - [Donna Bucher appointed 1st Circuit Magistrate Judge](https://korncountry921.com/2017/08/07/donna-bucher-appointed-1st-circuit-magistrate-judge/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/First_Circuit/Links/Contacts.aspx) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donna-bucher-sd-limited", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donna-bucher-sd-limited", "name": "Donna Bucher | KnowJudges", "description": "Donna Bucher, South Dakota Magistrate Court. 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Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/). Collected 2026-07-27.