Name*: Email*: Phone: Message*: * = Required Field.

Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) Program:

ARD is commonly referred to as a “First Offender Program.” ARD is intended for people who are accused of non-violent crimes who have only limited, or no, criminal history. In Chester County, the vast majority of people who enter the ARD Program have been charged with DUI. In addition to DUI, other people enter the Chester County ARD Program because of theft crimes and/or other alcohol related offenses.

Since the majority of people who enter the ARD Program in Chester County do so as a result of an arrest for DUI, I have developed the following list of questions that people should consider upon being charged with a DUI in Chester County:

• Have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty to, a felony offense?
• Have you been convicted of, or pled guilty to, a misdemeanor offense in the past 10 years?
• Have you entered the ARD Program, or another “diversionary program,” in the past 10 years?
• Do you have more than one prior DUI?
• If your DUI offense involved an accident, did the accident result in death or serious bodily injury?
• Was your blood alcohol content over 0.30% at the time of your DUI?
• At the time of your DUI, was there anyone in your car under the age of 14?
• At the time of your DUI, were you driving in excess of 100 miles per hour?

If you can answer “NO” to all of the above questions, then it is possible that you would be accepted into the Chester County ARD Program. By entering into this program you would avoid jail time, have a reduced license suspension, and ultimately be entitled to have the charges expunged from your record. The typical conditions of the ARD Program include that the Defendant undergo a Drug and Alcohol Evaluation and complete a specified amount of community service.

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, or if there are other reasons that are likely to be denied from the ARD Program, that does not mean that you will automatically be subjected the mandatory minimum sentence for a DUI offense. There are other programs in Chester County, such as the Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP) and Recovery Court Program, which may substantially reduce the sentence that a Defendant faces when convicted of a DUI.

If you are charged with a DUI in West Chester or the surrounding areas in Chester County, then I recommend that you find a competent, local attorney who has experience handling these offenses. Only a knowledgeable attorney can advise you of your options and help you make an informed decision. If you have any questions related to your arrest for a DUI in Chester County, then please do not wait any longer to call my office and schedule a Free Initial Consultation.