ARD / Non-DUI

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE UPDATED SHORTLY


The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program is offered by the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office and is available to many first-time offenders. It is an alternative to a trial, conviction or jail sentence. Offenders who successfully complete the ARD program may have their charges dismissed and their criminal records expunged. 

The decision to apply for ARD is a personal decision you must make. There are advantages to ARD that you should consider. Consulting with an attorney will ensure that you understand the charges filed against you, your rights, ARD and any other legal alternatives you might have. There may be additional alternatives other than those explained on this webpage. If you have any questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, contact the Lancaster County Bail Administrator's Office at 717-295-3584 to apply for a Public Defender.

For DUI ARD applications, visit the ARD/DUI webpage here.

Applications

There is no time limit to apply for ARD in non-DUI cases. However, in DUI cases, a defendant must apply for ARD by the offender's preliminary hearing date or no later than their formal arraignment date.  For DUI ARD applications, visit the ARD/DUI webpage here.

Non-DUI ARD applications may be emailed to our office at districtattorney@lancastercountypa.gov or mailed to or dropped off at our office:

Lancaster County Courthouse
District Attorney’s Office
50 N. Duke Street
P.O. Box 3480
Lancaster, PA 17608

To apply for ARD an offender must complete the following:

Fines and Costs

There is an administrative fee of $950. If a defendant qualifies for the services of a court-appointed attorney, the administrative fee is $650.

This fee must be paid, in full, prior to the scheduled ARD hearing. Fees may be paid to the Collections Enforcement Unit at Adult Probation and Parole any time after formal arraignment. A defendant may be allowed one 30- to 60-day continuance to pay this administrative fee. There will be no further exceptions to this deadline.

You can also expect to pay a fine, court costs and a probation supervision fee. While the fine, court costs and fees are standardized, they are subject to change at the discretion of the court or the District Attorney's Office.

Rejection and Unsuccessful Completion

The District Attorney's Office has the discretion to disapprove ARD for any defendant. Because the facts and circumstances of each offense are different, the District Attorney's Office evaluates each arrest on a case-by-case basis to determine if ARD is appropriate.

Failure to comply with any condition or provision of the ARD program will be deemed an unsuccessful completion of the program. In such a case, the District Attorney's Office may proceed with prosecution of criminal charges and the underlying record will not be expunged. The penalties for conviction vary upon a defendant's criminal charges and prior record.