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").
Semmes ('semz') is an unincorporated community, and a suburb of Mobile, AL, in western Mobile County, Alabama, in the Mobile metropolitan area. The 2000 census records show a population of 15,389 in the 36575 zip code which includes the community. It is part of the Mobile metropolitan statistical area.