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").
Newton is the county seat of Jasper County, Illinois. The population was 3,069 at the 2000 Census and subsequently reported as 3,141 by a local newspaper in mid-2000. Newton is home to a large coal-fired power plant and Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.