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").
Watkins is an unincorporated community in southeastern Benton County, Iowa, United States. It lies along local roads south of the city of Vinton, the county seat of Benton County. Its elevation is 830 feet (253 m). Although Watkins is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 52354, which opened on 15 December 1873.