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").
Dracut is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 28,562. Dracut is primarily a suburban community, belonging to Greater Lowell and bordering southern New Hampshire. Additionally, it is in the northern portion of the Greater Boston metropolitan area, and geographically part of the Merrimack Valley. It is also the only town in the world with the name "Dracut".