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").
Riverbank is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States. The population was 15,826 at the 2000 census. Incorporated on August 23, 1922, Riverbank's official slogan is "The City of Action. " It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. Home of the Cheese and Wine Festival, Riverbank was originally founded as a ferry, but was established as a town with the coming of the Santa Fe Railroad.