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").
Welton is a city in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 159 at the 2000 census. The community is located adjacent to U.S. Route 61, which passes around Welton just to the east of the city. Prior to the rebuilding of the highway as a four lane highway, U.S. 61 went directly through the city. Following reconstruction of U.S. 61, a new truck stop was built adjacent to U.S. 61 near the southern edge of the city. On Wednesday, April 5, 2006 the 85-year-old Welton School was demolished. According to the Telegraph Herald newspaper, "the school was closed in 2005 because of budget problems and declining enrollment."