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").
Woodstock is a far northwest suburb of Chicago in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 20,151 at the 2000 census, and is 25,000 as of 2008. It is the county seat of McHenry County. Woodstock is located 51 miles (82 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop and 32 miles (51 km) northwest of O'Hare International Airport. Woodstock is the home of the historic Woodstock Opera House and Old McHenry County Courthouse. The city was named in 2007 as one of the nation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations 2007 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.