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").
Birmingham is an affluent city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the total population was 19,291. An upscale suburb of Detroit, the city hosts a downtown that attracts shoppers from throughout the Metro Detroit area.