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").
Prairie Creek (also Middletown) is an unincorporated community in southeastern Prairie Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana, United States. It lies at the intersection of State Roads 63 and 246 southwest of the city of Terre Haute, the county seat of Vigo County. Its elevation is 531 feet (162 m), and it is located at 39°16′30″N 87°29′50″W / 39.275°N 87.49722°W / 39.275; -87.49722 (39.2750390, -87.4972443). Because the community has had multiple names, the Board on Geographic Names officially decided in favor of "Prairie Creek" in 1959. Although Prairie Creek is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 47869. The community is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.