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").
Seward is an unincorporated community in Winnebago County, Illinois, and is located west of Rockford. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. In early 2007, a leak at Seward Ag caused the release of 38,000 to 40,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia gas. This resulted in a full evacuation of the village until the next day. Ten people were treated for throat irritation at Rockford hospitals. Three cows and four pigs were killed because of exposure to anhydrous ammonia.