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").
Okeechobee is a city in Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,376 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,784. It is the county seat of Okeechobee County. The Speckled Perch Festival is held annually in honor of the most famous fish of Lake Okeechobee. This area was the site of the worst effects of the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane, the first recorded Category 5 hurricane in the North Atlantic and still one of the deadliest hurricanes ever to strike the US. Okeechobee is the site of international broadcasting radio station WYFR, which broadcasts Christian radio programming on the shortwave bands. Okeechobee is serviced by the Okeechobee County Airport.