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").
San Geronimo (formerly, Nicasio) is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the San Geronimo Valley in Marin County, California in the United States. San Geronimo is located 8 miles (13 km) southwest of downtown Novato, at an elevation of 292 feet (89 m). The population was 436 at the 2000 census.