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Jun. 3, 2026

For Judge Kenneth R. McDaniel, family court was once personal

San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Kenneth R. McDaniel experienced both dependency and custody proceedings as a child. Decades later, he presides over family court with a philosophy shaped by what that felt like.

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For Judge Kenneth R. McDaniel, family court was once personal

Kenneth R. McDaniel

San Luis Obispo Superior Court

Career Highlights: Appointed San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge, Aug. 7, 2025; commissioner, San Luis Obispo, 2022-25; sole practitioner, Law Office of Kenneth R. McDaniel, 2021-22; associate, Law Office of Stephen D. Hamilton, 2019-21; attorney, San Luis Obispo County Juvenile Dependency Panel, 2017-19; sole practitioner, Law Office of Kenneth R. McDaniel, 2013-19; associate, Law Offices of William D. Ausman, 2011-13

Law School: Santa Barbara College of Law, 2010
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SAN LUIS OBISPO - On a recent morning, Superior Court Judge Kenneth R. McDaniel moved through the familiar chaos of family court: Zoom glitches, scheduling conflicts, self-represented litigants, competing calendars. He worked through it all methodically -- and, when a flustered litigant apologized for not knowing how to submit documents, with patience.

"I'm new to this stuff," the man said on the screen.

"Those are very reasonable questions,... (continued)

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