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").
Oakdale is a small unincorporated community in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It lies north of Coralville and Iowa City, and it is just south of the nearby community of North Liberty. Oakdale is home to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center and a research campus of the University of Iowa. This location was once a tuberculosis sanitarium. Much of what is known as Oakdale is now within the city limits of Coralville.