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").
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 59,954 at the 2000 census but was estimated to have grown to 87,713 as of 2009. The city is a cultural, economic, and educational center of the northern Sacramento Valley and home to both Chico State University and Bidwell Park, one of the country's 25 largest municipal parks and the 13 largest municipally-owned park. Other cities in close proximity to the Chico Metropolitan Area (population 212,000) include Paradise and Oroville, while local towns and villages (unincorporated areas) include Durham, Cohasset, Dayton, Hamilton City, Nord, and Forest Ranch. The Chico Metropolitan Area is the 14th largest metropolitan statistical area in California. The official city nickname is "City of Roses," according to the Seal of the City of Chico, California. Chico has been designated as a Tree City USA for 23 years by the Arbor Day Foundation.