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").
Panama City Beach is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico coast. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Panama City," despite being a distinct municipality from the older and larger inland Panama City to the east, making Panama City and Panama City Beach two separate cities. Panama City Beach's slogan is "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches" due to the unique sugar-white sandy beaches of Northwest Florida. For quite some time Panama City Beach has been a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the Southern United States. The city is also a very popular spring break destination, sometimes being referred to as "The Spring Break Capital of the World," due to about 300,000+ college and high school students who arrive during the months of March and April. Well-known locations in the city were places such as "The Hang-Out" at the Long Beach Resort motel and the now closed Original Miracle Strip Amusement Park. A construction boom from 2001 to 2007 dramatically changed the beachfront skyline with high rise condos and hotels. New attractions, such as Pier Park, located in the heart of Panama City Beach, are a positive turn-around from the real estate down-turn from 2007-2009.