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").
Westport (formerly, Beal's Landing) is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the Pacific Ocean 13 miles (21 km) north of Fort Bragg, at an elevation of 125 feet (38 m). The first post office at Westport opened in 1879. Originally called Beal's Landing in honor of Samuel Beal, first white settler, the place was renamed in 1877 by James T. Rodgers who built a timber loading facility for the name to contrast with his home town of Eastport, Maine.