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").
Bloomington is a unincorporated census-designated place (CDP) in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 19,318 at the 2000 census. Though unincorporated at the current time, many of the town's political activists are pushing for Bloomington to attain cityhood, while the nearby cities of Rialto and Fontana are attempting to annex the community. The incorporation effort is led by the BIC, or the Bloomington Incorporation Committee.