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").
Edwardsville is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2005 census, the city population was 24,047. It is the county seat of Madison County and is the third oldest city in the State of Illinois. The city was named in honor of Ninian Edwards, Governor of Illinois. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the Edwardsville Journal, the Madison County Record and the Edwardsville Intelligencer are located here. It is also home to some of the areas biggest construction companies including:Dean and Sons Construction, Thiems Construction. Edwardsville is a part of Southern Illinois, the Metro-East region, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. It neighbors with Glen Carbon, Illinois. It is part of the Edwardsville School District No. 7, which also includes the villages of Glen Carbon, Hamel and Moro, as well as the townships areas around them.