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").
Chapin is an unincorporated community in northern Franklin County, Iowa, United States. It lies along local roads just off U.S. Route 65, north of the city of Hampton, the county seat of Franklin County. Its elevation is 1,155 feet (352 m), and it is located at 42°50′1″N 93°13′20″W / 42.83361°N 93.22222°W / 42.83361; -93.22222 (42.8335814, -93.2221464). Although Chapin is unincorporated, it has a post office with the ZIP code of 50427, which opened on 29 February 1860.