ADA McDaniel appointed to serve newly created 498th District Court

AUSTIN -- Gov. Greg Abbott today appointed Boerne's Katherine McDaniel to the 498th Judicial District Court in Kendall County for a term set to expire on Dec. 31, 2026.

McDaniel currently is the first assistant district attorney for the Kendall County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. She currently serves on the Texas Violent Gang Task Force and is a member of the Texas District and County Attorneys’ Association Journal Editorial Board, State Bar of Texas, Kendall County Bar Association, Texas Bar College, and the Texas Prosecutors’ Society. 

McDaniel, with nearly 30 years of experience as a prosecutor, in May declared her candidacy for judge of the newly established 498th.

“I am dedicated to upholding the rule of law and ensuring fair and impartial justice,” McDaniel said.

“My extensive courtroom experience, combined with a profound understanding of our community’s challenges, provides me with the unique qualifications necessary to serve as Judge of this newly created district court,” McDaniel said.

A 1997 graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law, McDaniel logged nearly two decades as an assistant district attorney in Harris County, in becoming a leading force in combating serious crimes, including homicides, cartel drug operations and gang violence.

In 2016, she was recruited as the first assistant criminal district attorney for the newly formed Kendall County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, where she has managed operations since 2017.

Kendall County Criminal District Attorney Nicole S. Bishop offered her strong endorsement for McDaniel.

“ Katherine McDaniel is the embodiment of integrity in service,” Bishop said of McDaniel's declaration of candidacy. “Her steadfast commitment to accountability and her relentless pursuit of justice makes her an invaluable asset to our county’s legal system and our community.

“Katherine has my complete support,” Bishop said, adding, “I have the utmost confidence in her leadership and dedication.”

McDaniel is a steering committee member for the Kendall County Behavioral Health Advisory Coalition, secretary of the board of directors for the Boerne Police Foundation, sports banquet chair of the TMI School Community Engagement Council and has presented nationwide on the topics of search and seizure law. McDaniel received a Bachelor of Arts in History from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of law.