[Adopted 8-5-1974]
The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) Program was
created by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1972 and established
in York County in 1974.
The ARD Program is a pretrial diversionary program which disposes
of criminal cases that otherwise would be tried or a plea of guilty
entered. The ARD Program offers a qualified defendant the opportunity
to earn a dismissal of charges by complying with conditions which
are supervised by the York County Probation Department.
A majority of the defendants placed on ARD are charged with
driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance (DUI).
Approximately one-fourth (1/4) of the cases for which informations
are prepared are eligible for ARD consideration. Acceptance in the
program is a matter which is within the complete discretion of the
attorney for the commonwealth. There are, however, some offenses which
render the defendant ineligible.
