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").
Pierce is a city in Clearwater County, Idaho. Elias D. Pierce and Wilbur F. Bassett made the first discovery of gold in Idaho, on Orofino Creek (Canal Gulch) in 1860, a mile (1.6 km) north of Pierce. . The population was 617 at the 2000 census. Pierce was once the county seat for Shoshone County, Washington Territory. The Pierce Courthouse, constructed in 1862, is Idaho's oldest public building. The Bald Mountain Ski Area is located 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Pierce.