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").
Nokomis is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area. Nokomis is famous for Casey Key, a barrier island split with the CDP of Osprey created by the intracoastal waterway, where there are beachfront houses worth millions of dollars lining the key.