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").
Piedra (formerly, Del Piedra and Delpiedra) is an unincorporated community in Fresno County, California. It is located on the south bank of the Kings River 23 miles (37 km) east of Fresno, at an elevation of 538 feet (164 m). In 1911, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad built a branch line to a nearby quarry and bestowed the name ("Piedra" is Spanish for "rock" or "stone"). The Delpiedra post office operated from 1920 to 1943. The Piedra post office was established in 1949.