Hon. R.W. Buzzard is a judge for the Lewis County District Court in Washington. He was elected to the bench in 2004.
During his tenure on the District Court, Buzzard gained national attention in 2019 when he descended from the bench to pursue two inmates who attempted to flee the courtroom. He ultimately apprehended one of the defendants before he was able to exit the courthouse, and the other inmate was later found by authorities. The two were subsequently charged with second-degree escape. The year prior, Buzzard intervened after a physical altercation broke out between a civil defendant and an attorney. In that instance, he again descended from the bench and wrestled the individual to the ground. Both incidents prompted Buzzard to advocate for better security in the courtrooms.
Prior to his election, Buzzard sat for one year as a judge for the Centralia Municipal Court.
He received a B.A. from Eastern Washington University (1996) and an M.B.A. from City University of Seattle (1999). Buzzard then completed a J.D. at Seattle University School of Law in 2000.
Buzzard is the son of the Hon. Steve Buzzard, former judge of the Chehalis Municipal Court, and Missy Buzzard, former Centralia council member and mayor.