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").
Barwick is a town divided by the county line between Brooks County and Thomas County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 444 at the 2000 census – 328 of the town's 444 residents (73.9%) lived in Thomas County and 116 (26.1%) in Brooks County.