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").
Sterling is a city in Rice County, Kansas, United States. The population was 2,642 at the 2000 census. Peace was the original name of the Quaker community now known as Sterling, but in 1876 the named was changed by two brothers that named the town for their father, Sterling Rosan.