ARD for DUIs in Northumberland County

If you’ve been charged with a DUI in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, or elsewhere in Northumberland County, it’s important for you to have good legal representation. Driving under the influence charges (DUIs) carry severe penalties, including jail time, parole requirements and a license suspension. But if you’ve been pulled over in Northumberland County, you don’t need to lose hope. There are still ways to defend your charges. One possible way to defend your charges is to pursue a first-time offender program like Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition.

What is ARD?

ARD, also called Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, is a program available for certain first-time offenders in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. To be eligible, you generally must have no prior convictions and must be willing to participate in certain program requirements, including drug and alcohol treatment, community service, and answering to a probation officer.

ARD is a program offered by the prosecution. This means that the District Attorney of Northumberland County has broad discretion as to whether a DUI defendant will be placed on the program. The interaction with the police officer at the time of being pulled over, the objections of any victims who were injured or had property damage in an accident, and the severity and level of the DUI will all factor into whether ARD is available to you as a defendant.

Having Good Representation Is Essential

If you’ve been charged with a DUI in Sunbury or the surrounding area, whether pulled over by a Pennsylvania State Police or local police department, having a good criminal defense attorney will help you to make the best of your charges. At Cornerstone Law Firm, our attorneys can help you to determine whether you should seek ARD, a different first-time offender’s program, a plea agreement, or whether you should fight your charges. There are pros and cons to each of these approaches, so call today for a free consultation on your case.