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").
Laguna Woods is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 16,507 at the 2000 census with a median age of 78. About 90% of the city consists of Laguna Woods Village, a retirement community, formerly known as Leisure World. Incorporation efforts in the late 1990s were largely driven by the need for residents to have a stronger voice against the prospective construction of an international airport at the nearby decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The airport proposal was ultimately defeated and the land in question has been tabbed for development as the Orange County Great Park.