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").
Woodstock is a town in Bibb and Tuscaloosa counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. Formerly known as North Bibb, by referendum in August 2000, the town adopted the name of a long-established local unincorporated community and as of October 1, 2000 is now known officially as "Woodstock". As of the 2000 census, the population of the town was 986. The Bibb County portion of Woodstock is part of the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, while the Tuscaloosa County portion is part of the Tuscaloosa metropolitan area.