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").
Mesa is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona and is a suburb located about 20 miles east of Phoenix. Mesa is in the East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by Tempe on the west, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community on the north, Chandler and Gilbert on the south, and Apache Junction on the east. Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, after Phoenix and Tucson, and the 38th-largest city in the country. Despite being home to more than 460,000 people, making its population larger than more recognizable cities such as Miami, St. Louis and Oakland, Mesa is decidedly a bedroom community. Mesa is home to the Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University.