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").
Desert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Coachella Valley, Desert Empire, Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 16,582 at the 2000 census. The city had seen rapid development and high population growth since 1980 when it had 2,500 residents, to become a city with an estimated 25,000 residents in the year 2008.