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").
Corte Madera (formerly, Adams) is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Corte Madera is located 3.25 miles (5.2 km) south of San Rafael, at an elevation of 39 feet (12 m). The population was 9,100 at the 2000 census. In 1980 the town merged its police department with that of its neighbor Larkspur into the Twin Cities Police Authority. In Spanish, Corte Madera means "chopped wood". The area was famous for producing lumber out of redwood trees which went into the construction of the city of San Francisco.