Meet Criminal Defense and Appeals Lawyer, Sarah Ernst

Sarah Ernst was raised in Rochester, Illinois and moved to Missouri to attend Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri where she earned dual degrees in criminal justice and political science. While in college, Sarah participated on the women's golf and mock trial teams, served as Student Government President, and volunteered with the Innocence Project and Red Cross.

After college, Sarah earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Tulsa, College of Law, where she was elected to the Student Bar Association as Speaker of the House. While pursuing her law degree, she gained significant criminal law experience working for the Tulsa District Attorney’s Office and Cole County, Missouri Prosecutor’s Office.

Sarah has been a member of the Missouri Bar Association since 2020 and was elected to the Young Lawyers Section of the Missouri Bar in 2021. Prior to her career in private practice, Sarah served as an assistant attorney general for the State of Missouri, successfully arguing numerous cases in state appellate courts, presenting to fellow attorneys on the intricacies of extraditions, and attending countless professional development courses, including intensive trial and deposition training.

Featured in Jefferson City Magazine’s “Faces of 573” series as the "Face of Criminal Appeals,” Sarah is known as one of Missouri’s most trusted appellate attorneys.

Sarah resides in Jefferson City, Missouri with her husband, Dallas, and their two sons.

Sarah is licensed to practice in Missouri.