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").
Convent is an unincorporated community in and the parish seat of St. James Parish, Louisiana, United States. It has been the parish seat since 1869. The town took damage during Hurricane Katrina, disrupting parish government activities for several months.