Judge Buchanan was raised in Boulder, Colorado. For over thirty years before his appointment to the bench, he had a general civil trial practice in Colorado (with two years in California), specializing in tort litigation primarily in the areas of personal injury and product liability, but also representing clients in commercial disputes, insurance litigation, professional liability, civil rights and employment matters. He also represented clients before the Colorado appellate courts and in the Tenth Circuit.  

In November, 2013, Ross was appointed to the District Court for the Second Judicial District in Denver, Colorado. In his nine years on the bench, he presided over civil, domestic relations and criminal dockets.

Since 1978, Judge Buchanan has been married to Lynn Holland, a professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, where she teaches about international political economy and Latin American development. Together, they have two adult children.