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").
Tulare is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 43,994 at the 2000 census. As of 2007 it is estimated that 55,935 live within the city limits. Just eight miles (13 km) south of Visalia, it is considered part of the Census Bureau's designation of the Visalia Metropolitan Area. The city is named for Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes, currently drained. Tulare Union High School, Tulare Western High School, and Mission Oak High School are located within the city of Tulare.