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").
For the Illinois village formerly known as Vienna, see Astoria, Illinois Vienna is a city in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,234 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County, and the site of a well-known state penitentiary. Heron Pond - Little Black Slough Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark, is nearby. The town's name is pronounced differently from the English name for the Austrian capital of the same name.