Automatic Expungement in PA: Understanding ARD Outcomes
The moment you get arrested is a terrifying one. This is the wake-up call many people need to turn their lives around. That is why, for first-time offenders, the state of Pennsylvania offers alternatives that don’t impose severe punishments with long-term effects.
The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program offers people a second chance to have a clear record. For first-time offenders, this pre-trial intervention program allows them the chance to get rehabilitated without a formal conviction. After completing ARD, your record is expunged and cleaned.
So, let’s look at the benefits of ARD and why you need a skilled Pittsburgh criminal lawyer for the best outcome.
Benefits of the ARD Program
The most prominent benefit of the ARD program is the expungement of criminal records. The program’s mission is to encourage offenders to make a fresh start. If they participate and complete the program successfully, they have the chance of a clear record.
Criminal record expungement can have various benefits, particularly in areas of community involvement, education, and employment.
- Expunging one’s criminal record allows a job applicant to inform employers that they have never been convicted.
- It prevents eligibility denial for student loads, permitting professional school, college, and university admissions.
- It provides an individual the right to own or possess a firearm.
- It allows the holding of certain professional licenses otherwise limited by criminal conviction.
Expungement generally removes from “general review” the records regarding a citation, adjudication, or arrest of criminal or summary charges. However, not every criminal record is eligible for this. So, the records don’t entirely disappear. They might still be available to law enforcement.
Also to be noted, cases from June 1, 2011, to March 28, 2013, aren’t eligible for expungement for ARD cases. In this situation, the court has the right to deny or grant the expungement request.
Filing an Expungement Petition
After you finish ARD, you now need ot formally file an expungement petition with the help of a skilled Pittsburgh criminal lawyer.
While the process is mainly straightforward, all the paperwork must be filled out properly. Or your application might be rejected. This is why you need an experienced Pittsburgh criminal lawyer by your side. They will know that not all petitions for expungement are filed the same, and they will advise you accordingly. Also, court regulations are continuously changing the process based on the county. A Pittsburgh criminal lawyer will keep a tab on this to ensure the least confusion for you.
Once you finish ARD, you deserve a second chance. That’s why, at Logue Law Group, we want to ensure your expungement petition is correctly filed. The best way to ensure the success of the petition is to seek the assistance of a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer. You don’t want to risk clearing your criminal record in any way.
If you’re considering applying for an expungement petition, contact us at sean@seanloguelaw.com. We’re always here to help make the process of expungement as simple as possible. So, schedule your consultation today.