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").
Alford is a town in Jackson County, Florida, United States. It is located in the Florida Panhandle near Marianna. The population was 466 at the 2000 census. According to the 2004 U.S. Census Bureau's Estimates, the town population declined slightly to 464.