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").
Vandalia is a city in Fayette County, Illinois, 69 miles (111 km) northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. In 1900, 2,665 people lived in Vandalia; in 1910, 2,974; and in 1940, 5,288. The population was 6,975 at the 2000 Census. It is the county seat of Fayette County, the home of the Vandalia State House State Historic Site (1836), and was a terminus of the National Road. In 1819, it was decided to move the state capital from Kaskaskia to Vandalia. Since 1839, Springfield has been the capital.