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").
Murrieta is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 44,282 at the 2000 census. Population was estimated to be 100,173 in 2008, making it one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Largely residential in character, Murrieta is considered a bedroom community, with large numbers of its residents commuting to jobs in San Diego and Orange counties, the more industrialized neighboring city of Temecula to the south, and to Camp Pendleton. Murrieta is bordered by Temecula to the South and the newly incorporated cities of Menifee and Wildomar to the North. Murrieta should not be confused with Rancho Murieta, which is an unincorporated community in northern California, near Sacramento. Nor should its founder be confused with Joaquin Murrieta the bandit of Southern California.