DUI Lawyer in Lancaster County.

Yes. The Lancaster County DA's office runs a structured ARD intake for eligible first offenses — no conviction, a BAC-tier license suspension, supervision, CRN evaluation and alcohol highway safety school, then expungement on completion. Child-in-vehicle cases, injury accidents, prior DUI convictions, and a prior ARD within 10 years are common disqualifiers.

Your first court date is the preliminary hearing before the Lancaster City MDJ, usually a few weeks after the arrest, and blood or breath results often arrive between the stop and that hearing. We use that window to request the discovery packet, review the stop and testing procedure, and decide whether ARD or a suppression challenge is the better path.

First-offense penalties depend on your BAC. General Impairment (.08–.099) is up to 6 months probation, $300 fine, and no license suspension. High BAC (.10–.159) adds a 12-month suspension and 48 hours minimum jail. Highest BAC (.16+), refusals, and controlled-substance DUIs trigger 72 hours minimum jail, a 12-month suspension, and fines up to $5,000. Ignition interlock is required on most suspensions.

Most first-time offenders qualify for Pennsylvania's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program — no conviction, shorter suspension, and expungement after completion. You may be disqualified if a child was in the vehicle, there was a serious-injury accident, or you have certain priors. Under Act 58 of 2025, a prior ARD within 10 years now counts as a prior offense.

Pennsylvania's implied consent law triggers an automatic 12-month PennDOT license suspension for refusing chemical testing — separate from the criminal DUI and applied even if you're acquitted. The refusal and the underlying DUI are challenged separately and often have different defenses.

We charge flat fees that depend on case complexity — standard first-offense cases run a few thousand dollars; cases with accidents, refusals, suppression hearings, or trial cost more. Consultations are free and fees are discussed up front. For most clients, the cost is offset by avoiding a suspension, jail time, or a permanent criminal record.