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").
Sebastian is a city in Indian River County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,181 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 18,671 . Sebastian is a principal city of the Sebastian–Vero Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Indian River County.