ARD is the acronym for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program and is the generic phrase for a pretrial diversionary program that is used in counties across the state of Pennsylvania. With ARD, a participant pleads not guilty to charges, but instead of proceeding to a trial, the person accepts ARD in the pretrial phase of the case. The precise conditions and requirements often vary from county to county, and the requirements may even vary within the same county based upon the difference in charges and difference in fact patterns. By completing the ARD requirements, the person successfully completes the program. Upon completion of ARD, the charges are dismissed, and the dismissed charges can normally be expunged from the records. Most counties do not expunge the records automatically upon completion of ARD.