In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").
Phenix City is a city in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smith's Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area. As of 2006, the population of the city was 30,067, according to Census Bureau estimates. Phenix City lies in the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Lee County nominal is in the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. The city is the county seat of Russell County. It is also a suburb immediately west of Downtown Columbus, Georgia which is just across the Chattahoochee River. In 2007, BusinessWeek named Phenix City the nation's #1 Best Affordable Suburb to raise a family. Currently, the mayor is Sonny Coulter, a local businessman, and previous mayor. The city manager, who holds the task of organizational matters is Wallace Hunter.