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").
Signal Hill is a small city (2.2 mi², 5.8 km²) in Los Angeles County, California that is an enclave (completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach). As of 2005, the city population was 10,951. The city was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered on Signal Hill. The city once shared three different postal ZIP codes with Long Beach, but in July 2002, the City of Signal Hill received its own ZIP code, 90755. It is in the 562 area code.