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Criminal Defense Attorney for Bucks County, PA
If you were arrested in Bucks County, PA, then contact an experienced Pennsylvania criminal defense attorney at Alva & Moscow, LLC. Our attorneys represent clients throughout Doylestown, PA, including Quakertown, Ottsville, Langhorne, Bensalem, Warrington and Neshaminy.
If you are currently under investigation for a criminal offense, never speak with a Bucks County Detective or other law enforcement officer until after you have spoken to a criminal defense attorney about your case. Your attorney is often in the best position to explain your side of the story and present exculpatory evidence.
Call (215) 665-1695 today to speak with an attorney about the specific facts of your case. We represent clients in felony and misdemeanor cases including DUI and criminal traffic offenses, theft charges, drug offenses, domestic violence crimes, assault, and violation of probation cases. We are experienced trial attorneys focused on criminal defense. Let us put our years of experience to work for you.
ARD Program in Bucks County, PA
ARD stands for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (“ARD”). In Bucks County, the ARD is a pre-trial intervention program. The benefits of completing the ARD program include avoiding a conviction and serving any mandatory jail sentences associated with certain types of criminal charges.
The most common types of criminal charged eligible for a ARD disposition include possession of a controlled substance, DUI, or theft. The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office retains the sole discretion to accept or reject anyone from the program.
Not everyone is eligible for ARD. Even for people that are eligible, ARD may not be the best way to resolve the case.
Many people contact us after finding out that they are not eligible or because they know the program is not right for their particular case. Other people contact us because they have been rejected from the program for violating one of the terms or not being able to complete the conditions within the allotted time. Any new criminal charge will result in being rejected from the ARD program.
Eligibility Requirements for ARD in Bucks County, PA
Eligibility requirements include being a first time offender with no prior misdemeanor or felony crimes in Pennsylvania or any other state. You are also not eligible if you previously completed an ARD program or an equivalent diversion type program in another state.
DUI ARD Program in Bucks County
The DUI ARD program in Bucks County has certain pros and cons. Talk with your attorney to understand your rights and the rights you are giving up by entering the program.
Under Section 3802 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, a ARD disposition is considered a prior “conviction” for sentencing purposes in a subsequent DUI cases. That means that the ARD disposition can cause an increase in the mandatory sentence for any subsequent DUI offenses within the next ten years after the date of the ARD agreement.
In order to be accepted into the ARD Program, your attorney will assist you in waiving your preliminary hearing, completing the application and information form to the Magisterial District Court. If your application is not accepted, your Bucks County DUI attorney can file a written request for reconsideration prior to trial.
Completing the program requires at least 10 hours of community service which must be verified by the Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole Department. You must also pay costs,
The main benefit of entering the Bucks County DUI ARD program is that at the end of the case, if you have successfully completed the program, the court will automatically dismiss the charges against you and your criminal record might be eligible for expunction under Rule 319 and 320 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Additional Resources
Bucks County District Attorney’s Office - David Heckler is the District Attorney for Bucks County, PA. The office includes 32 attorneys and 16 county detectives. It is estimated that the Bucks County District Attorneys office handles more than 11,000 criminal cases each year. That number includes more than 7,500 adult offenders in the Court of Common Pleas and 2,500 juvenile offenders in Juvenile Court.
Contact Information:Bucks County District Attorney's OfficeNew Justice Center100 North Main StreetDoylestown, PA 1890Bucks County Detectives – Detectives in Bucks County investigate a variety of criminal offenses including drug crimes, child and elder abuse, sex crimes, domestic violence, computer crimes. The current Chief of County Detectives in Bucks County is Christopher F. McAteer, Jr.
Bucks County DUI Information - Visit the website for the office of the Clerk of Courts to read more about the DUI Penalties and Fines required after a conviction for DUI under PA Vehicle Code, Section 3802 for a first offense, second offense, third offense or fourth or subsequent offense. Also find information on the requirements for the ignition interlock device under Pennsylvania's DUI laws.
