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").
Beecher is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,033 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1870 and was named for Henry Ward Beecher. Beecher failed to appear at the town's dedication. It was incorporated as a village in 1884. Originally governed by a village president and board of trustees, in 1988 a village administrator was hired to handle daily tasks. The city clerk is an appointed position. It is located on the old Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad and the Dixie Highway. It is located in the center of Washington Township and was originally named Washington Center.