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").
Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 43,167 at the 2000 census. A 2005 special census indicated the population had risen to 52,430, making Conway the eighth most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area which had 675,069 people in 2008. Conway is the second fastest growing city in Arkansas and home to three postsecondary educational institutions, earning it the nickname "The City of Colleges". Conway has a population of 57,006 according to 2007 Census estimates.