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").
Cloutierville is an unincorporated community in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies about 20 miles (32 km) south of the city of Natchitoches on exit 119 at Interstate 49. The community is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area. This is a homeland of many multiracial Louisiana Creole people. The town was built on the plantation of Alexis Cloutier and incorporated in 1822. The plantation was later owned by Kate Chopin. The town is home to the Chopin House, Bayou Folk Museum, and the St. John Catholic Church and cemetery.