Lehigh County DUI ARD combines diversion of the pending charge with evaluation, education, and supervision through the county’s DUI program. The CRN evaluation should occur after the preliminary hearing and before ARD placement. Completing the program successfully can support dismissal and public-record relief, but early preparation and proof of compliance matter.
The Law Offices of Steven E. Kellis assists people evaluating DUI defense and ARD in Lehigh County. Call (215) 940-1200 or contact the firm for a free consultation.
Start with the evidence, then evaluate diversion
Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition can be an important alternative to ordinary prosecution. It is not a guilty plea and does not itself mean the defendant has been convicted of DUI. But accepting it involves conditions and waivers, so it should follow a review of the actual case.
An attorney should examine the basis for the stop, observations of impairment, available footage, chemical testing, and any additional charges. The availability of ARD does not establish that the Commonwealth could prove every element of the DUI. Our Lehigh County DUI defense page describes the broader representation available.
The Pennsylvania ARD guide explains statewide eligibility and consequences. Local evaluation and supervision instructions then determine how an eligible Lehigh County case moves through the program.
Eligibility and the prosecutor’s role
ARD admission requires the prosecutor’s recommendation and court approval; a first arrest is not a guarantee. Criminal and driving history, prior diversion, accident circumstances, and other allegations can affect the assessment.
Under Pennsylvania’s DUI-ARD statute, certain prior DUI dispositions within ten years, a crash causing another person’s death or serious bodily injury, and a passenger under 14 restrict submission for ARD. The statute has specific language and a narrow exception within its prior-offense restriction. Review actual records rather than assume all dismissed or expunged matters are irrelevant.
The court also must determine that the defendant’s acceptance of ARD and applicable constitutional waivers is knowing, voluntary, and intelligent. That makes advance discussion of the agreement important even when the terms appear routine.
When to complete the CRN evaluation
The Lehigh County Court’s DUI information places CRN evaluation after the preliminary hearing and before sentencing or ARD placement. Do not wait for the placement date to discover that an evaluation still needs to be arranged.
CRN is a screening process. Depending on the screening and statutory criteria, a separate drug-and-alcohol assessment may be required. BAC of .16% or above is one statutory trigger for a full assessment. Any resulting treatment recommendation should be addressed through a provider accepted for the case.
Confirm appointment details, payment instructions, and where results are sent. A missed transmission can cause a problem even when the appointment itself was completed. Keep your own record of attendance and ask whether additional information is outstanding.
Safety school and treatment have different completion standards
Alcohol Highway Safety School is an education requirement for DUI ARD. Treatment, when ordered, addresses the level of care identified through assessment. Finishing one does not necessarily finish the other.
Lehigh County publishes an ARD offender information packet addressing program obligations and documentation. For treatment completion, its instructions call for information demonstrating completion of the required care, not simply an unexplained certificate. Confirm what your supervising officer needs from the provider.
This is especially important when treatment changes levels or continues beyond an initial course. Ask the provider to identify what was recommended, what was completed, and any remaining recommendation. Do not self-discharge because you believe the ARD supervision period is nearly over.
Can Lehigh County DUI ARD end after six months?
The county’s DUI page states that an ARD term may be reduced to six months when requirements are completed early. That is a possibility to discuss, not an automatic right to stop reporting after six months.
Before seeking early completion, verify the status of education, treatment, financial obligations, service requirements, and compliance with supervision. Obtain the appropriate approval and written confirmation. Until supervision is formally ended, continue following the current order.
For DUI ARD, Section 3807 requires at least six and no more than twelve months of court supervision. Descriptions of longer ARD periods for other charges should not be used to explain the DUI-specific term.
Organizing the supervision period
Use the admission order and current DUI Unit instructions to build a practical record of compliance. Helpful categories include evaluations, education, treatment, payments, reporting, approved changes, and license correspondence.
| Item to retain | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Court order and program instructions | Establishes the actual conditions and deadlines. |
| Education and treatment records | Shows what was completed, not just what was scheduled. |
| Payment receipts and account information | Helps resolve disputes about balances. |
| Written approvals | Documents any permitted change in provider, timing, or arrangements. |
| PennDOT notices | Keeps licensing deadlines separate from supervision deadlines. |
Raise conflicts involving work, health, travel, or transportation with counsel and the supervising office before missing an obligation. A request is not approval, and a provider’s availability does not itself change the court order.
Costs: ask for the complete picture
A realistic ARD budget can include court and supervision costs, evaluation and education charges, treatment, community-service logistics, restitution when applicable, and license expenses. Attorney fees are separate from county costs.
Avoid treating an isolated fee from an older packet as the total cost of your case. Request the current balance, the payment schedule, and the requirements for documenting a genuine hardship. If a crash produced a restitution claim, identify how insurance payments and the claimed loss have been accounted for.
The consequences of an unpaid amount depend on the obligation and the court’s decisions. Address difficulty promptly rather than assuming the program will be extended or the balance forgiven.
License suspension and restoration
The ordinary adult ARD suspension bands are no suspension below .10% when no special circumstance applies, thirty days from .10% to below .16%, and sixty days at .16% or above. Drug DUI, unknown BAC, specified accident circumstances, and drivers under 21 require separate attention. See the complete ARD license table.
A chemical-test refusal may also result in a separate civil suspension. Do not assume accepting ARD resolves the right to challenge a PennDOT action or pauses its deadlines.
Lehigh’s packet discusses PennDOT notification and surrender procedures. Use the actual current PennDOT suspension and restoration instructions for your case. Counting days on a calendar is not enough if required surrender, credit, fees, or restoration steps remain incomplete.
What happens to the record after completion?
Successful ARD completion can lead to dismissal and expungement of the public arrest record. Rule 320 addresses the court’s expungement order following dismissal and the process if the Commonwealth objects.
Confirm the order and the agencies to which it is directed. Public records do not necessarily change immediately after the final class or payment. Current DUI law also retains limited nonpublic proof of completed diversion, so an expungement should not be described as erasing every governmental record.
Questions about Lehigh County DUI ARD
Is an assessment the same as Highway Safety School?
No. Assessment determines clinical needs; school is a separate education requirement. Treatment may be another obligation if recommended or ordered.
Can I stop reporting when my requirements are finished?
Not unless supervision has been officially ended or the reporting requirement changed. Ask about early completion, but continue complying while a request is pending.
Can an attorney challenge the case even if ARD appears available?
Yes. Whether to pursue litigation or diversion depends on the evidence and the consequences of each option. The availability of a program does not eliminate the need for defense review.
Get help with the next step in your Lehigh County DUI case
Speak with a Pennsylvania DUI lawyer about eligibility, evaluations, deadlines, and the underlying evidence. Call the Law Offices of Steven E. Kellis at (215) 940-1200 for a free consultation.