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").
Downsville is a town in Lincoln and Union parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 118 at the 2000 census. The Lincoln Parish portion of Downsville is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the Union Parish portion is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area.