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").
Batesville is the largest city in and the county seat of Independence County, Arkansas, United States, 80 miles (183 km) northeast of Little Rock, the state capital. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 9,556. The city serves as a regional manufacturing and distribution hub for the Ozark Mountain region and northeast Arkansas.