Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman II

Education: B.S., University of California, Davis (1974, psychology); J.D., UC Hastings College of the Law (San Francisco, 1977).
Appointment: Appointed to the Kern County Superior Court by Governor George Deukmejian on April 22, 1988; subsequently re-elected (unopposed) in 2014 and 2020. Current term runs through January 2027.
Pre-judicial career: Practiced law from 1977 to 1988 in Bakersfield and San Francisco. Early roles included associate positions (DiGiorgio, Davis & Klein in Bakersfield and an SF firm) and later a Bakersfield solo practice and partnership (Fachin, McCartney & Twisselman).
Judicial service: Over 30 years on the bench, currently presiding in Department 9 (felony court) at the Bakersfield courthouse in the Metropolitan Division.
Notable cases: Has overseen major environmental and criminal cases. For example, in 2010 he upheld Kern County’s approval of the Tejon Mountain Village development (a decision later affirmed on appeal); he presided over Sierra Club v. Kern County (2018) and Grapevine/Tejon Ranch development lawsuits (2019) involving CEQA challenges; and in 2020 he ruled on an Inyo County vs. Los Angeles water-rights dispute. He also hears high-profile felony trials (e.g., the 2021 Shafter newborn-murder case).
Community reputation: Member of a prominent Kern County ranching family and active in local bar and civic organizations (Rotary Club, Cattlemen’s Association, Kern County Bar, etc.). He is regarded as a fair, thorough judge with no public ethics issues or discipline on record.

Education and Early Career

Kenneth C. Twisselman II earned a Bachelor of Science degree (in Psychology) from the University of California, Davis in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from UC Hastings College of the Law in 1977. After passing the bar, he began his legal career in Bakersfield, working as an associate at DiGiorgio, Davis & Klein (1977–1979). He then practiced briefly in San Francisco before returning to Kern County. From 1980 to 1983 he ran his own solo practice in Bakersfield. In 1983 he became a partner in the Kern County firm of Fachin, McCartney & Twisselman (remaining there until 1988), and immediately before his judgeship he was of counsel at the firm of Werdel & Chapin. During this period Twisselman was active in the local bar association, serving on the board of the Kern County Bar Association in the early 1980s.

Judicial Appointment and Tenure

Twisselman was appointed to the Kern County Superior Court bench by Governor George Deukmejian on April 22, 1988, filling a vacancy in the Bakersfield-based Metropolitan Division. He has served continuously since that time. After his appointment, he stood for election and was successfully retained by the voters; he was re-elected (running unopposed) in 2014 and again in 2020. His current six-year term is scheduled to expire in January 2027. Over more than three decades on the bench, Judge Twisselman has handled both civil and criminal cases. He is based at the main Bakersfield courthouse (Metropolitan Division), where he currently presides over felony cases in Department 9. (Earlier in his tenure he has also managed various civil and criminal calendars as needed.)

Notable Cases and Decisions

Judge Twisselman has presided over several high-profile cases, especially involving land development and environmental law in Kern County. In December 2010 he issued a detailed ruling in favor of a major housing project (Tejon Mountain Village), concluding that the county’s environmental impact report (EIR) was legally adequate. This ruling was later unanimously upheld by California’s Fifth District Court of Appeal in 2012. In 2018 he oversaw Sierra Club v. County of Kern, a lawsuit challenging the Kern River Valley Specific Plan; Twisselman had denied the environmental petition at trial, but the Court of Appeal later reversed his decision, finding that the county had improperly deferred certain air-quality mitigation measures. He also presided over litigation concerning the 8,000-acre “Grapevine” development (Tejon Ranch Company) – in early 2019 he granted a writ of mandate to environmental groups, finding that the county’s earlier EIR failed to analyze impacts from increased traffic. In May 2020, sitting as a neutral judge in a case transferred from Inyo County, he ruled that Inyo County’s attempt to condemn Los Angeles water and land rights violated environmental law, ordering the county to rescind its resolutions and pay the city’s costs. On the criminal side, Twisselman continues to handle major felony trials; for example, in late 2021 he presided over the murder trial of a woman who had killed her newborn in Shafter (with sentencing scheduled in his department in early 2022). In 2016 he also issued a ruling lifting an injunction on a Bakersfield street-widening project, thereby allowing that controversial municipal project to proceed.

Public Reputation and Community Involvement

Judge Twisselman is widely recognized in Kern County both for his long service on the bench and for his family’s local prominence. He comes from one of the region’s pioneer ranching families, and he has maintained strong ties to the community through involvement in local organizations. Over the years he has served on boards such as the Kern County Bar Association, the Shafter Rotary Club, and the Kern County Cattlemen’s Association, and has been active in water and taxpayers’ associations. Colleagues and media profiles note his approachable demeanor – during jury selection he is known to greet citizens with friendly small talk about community events. He is generally regarded as thorough and even-handed in his courtroom, and there are no public records of any ethics or disciplinary violations in his career. Overall, Twisselman is viewed as a dedicated, respected judge and community member in Kern County.