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").
Mason City is a city in and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 29,172 at the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties.