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").
West Union is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,549 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County. Originally called Knob Prairie, it was founded by William Wells, naming it for his hometown, also called West Union, in Ohio.