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").
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,766 at the 2000 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15. Beardstown was the birthplace of the jazz vibraphone pioneer Red Norvo.