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").
Yucca Valley is an incorporated town located in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 16,865 at the 2000 census. However, the town's highway sign lists the current population at 25,500. Yucca Valley lies 17 miles (27 km) west of Twentynine Palms, 37 miles (60 km) north of Palm Springs, 89 miles (143 km) south of Barstow via State Route 247, 45 miles (72 km) southeast of Lucerne Valley and 55 miles (89 km) east of San Bernardino. Bordered in the west by the San Bernardino Mountains and in the south by the Joshua Tree National Park, the Yucca Valley community is located in the Mojave Desert at 3,300 feet (1,000 m) above sea level.