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").
Imperial Beach is a residential beach city in San Diego County, California. The population was estimated at 29,992 in 2006. The city is the most southern beach city in Southern California and the West Coast of the United States. It is located in an area of San Diego County called the South Bay, 14.1 miles south of Downtown San Diego and 3 miles northwest of downtown Tijuana, Mexico.