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").
Ahwahnee is an unincorporated community in Madera County, California. It is located 5.25 miles (8.4 km) west of Yosemite Forks, at an elevation of 2326 feet (709 m). Ahwahnee is hilly and located in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The ZIP Code is 93601. The community is inside area code 559. It is part of the Madera–Chowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area.