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").
Big Pool is an unincorporated community in western Washington County, Maryland, United States. It is between Clear Spring, Maryland and Hancock, Maryland along U.S. Route 40 and is officially a part of the Hagerstown Metropolitan Area. To the south of Big Pool lies Fort Frederick State Park, a restored fort used during the French and Indian War. Also nearby is the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which lies near Ft. Frederick alongside the Potomac River.