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").
The City of West Burlington is in Des Moines County, Iowa, United States, adjacent to the City of Burlington located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 3,161. It is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.