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").
Cottonwood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Shasta County, California, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. Cottonwood is a stagecoach town founded in 1882. Cottonwood is equidistant between Redding and Red Bluff, 15 miles (24 km) in both directions. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Anderson. In spring of 1997 Hollywood came to this small quiet town to film "Almost Heroes" starring Matthew Perry and Chris Farley. It was Farley's last film.