Sara Stout Ashcraft is well known and respected for her legal practice and community service in the areas of matrimonial and family law. Additionally, Sara provides consultation services to other attorneys regarding complex divorce issues. With a background in psychology and sociology, along with her education and experience in law, she is sensitive to the emotional and family dynamics, as well as the financial and legal aspects, involved in divorce, child custody, and other areas of family law. Additionally, Sara is trained as a mediator and provides neutral mediation services for family disputes and divorcing couples. She writes a column about matrimonial and family law issues for The Daily Record (Rochester, NY legal newspaper) and is a sought-after speaker on the subject by bar associations and other groups. Sara provides reliable, practical, and affordable legal guidance through even the most complex divorce, child custody and visitation issues.
Practice Areas
- Matrimonial Law
- Family Law
- Mediation in matrimonial and family disputes
Education
- State University of New York at Buffalo, J.D., cum laude, 1995
- Buffalo Law Review, 1993-1995
- Milton Frey Award in Family Law, 1995
- Marshall University, M.A. (clinical psychology), 1978
- Concord University, B.A. (psychology and sociology, summa cum laude), 1975
- 40-Hour Mediation Training Program, MWI 2019
Bar Admissions
- New York, 1996
- West Virginia, 1996
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, 1996
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Family Law and Dispute Sections
- New York State Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Monroe County Bar Association, Family Law Section (serving on the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, Academy of Law, and various other committees)
- Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys (President, 2006-07)
- Women's Bar Association of the State of New York
- Seventh Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee
- West Virginia Bar Association
Awards
- Selected to the 2022 Daily Record's Top 20 in Family Law
- Selected to the 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers List
Publications
Please click on the links below to read a few of Sara's articles published in the Rochester, NY legal newspaper, The Daily Record:
Recent Blog Posts
Child Support and Spousal Maintenance Updates
Court Rejects Child Support Offsets
Agreements and the Unmarried Couple
CO-PARENTING? THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!
Recommendations
- Sara Stout Ashcraft is an outstanding matrimonial law attorney. While going through my divorce I felt like my future was hanging in the balance. Sara made a challenging time in my life much easier and less stressful. She was responsive, efficient, thorough, and knowledgeable from start to end....
- I recently engaged Ashcraft Franklin & Young for a matrimonial issue and have been extremely pleased with the service I received. Sara and her team were effective listeners, professional, efficient. They kept me informed throughout the whole process and I felt they represented me in the best po...
- Ashcraft Franklin & Young is an exceptional law firm. Sara Ashcraft was a pleasure to work with and made a painful situation much less painful. She is compassionate, efficient and timely. I would highly recommend her.