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").
Alpha is a village in Iron County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 198. The village is in Mastodon Township. The Alpha post office opened with the name Mastadon on October 1, 1883 and was discontinued on December 20, 1888. The office was reestablished as Alpha on December 15, 1913.