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").
Forsyth is a village in Macon County, Illinois, United States whose population was 2,434 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area pop. 109,456. Although by comparison to Decatur, Forsyth is a small suburb, The Village of Forsyth has seemingly surpassed the larger City of Decatur in terms of retail development, and new housing developments due to business friendly development policies of Forsyth.