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").
Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,209 at the 2000 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, southwest of Belchertown, and is considered part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area.