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").
West Sacramento is a city in Yolo County, California. It is contiguous with Sacramento, but is separated by the Sacramento River which is also the county line, so West Sacramento is in a different county than Sacramento. It is a fast growing community; the population was 31,615 at the 2000 census but the Census Bureau estimated the population to be 44,162 as of 2006. West Sacramento is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area which has a population of approximately 1,796,857. Major industries to the region include agriculture and transportation.