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").
Patterson is a city in Pierce County, Georgia, United States. The population was 627 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Waycross Micropolitan Statistical Area. In November 2007, Patterson was named the 50th best place in the United States to raise children by BusinessWeek Magazine.