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").
Chelsea is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,398 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a village. In March 2004, by a 995-226 vote, residents approved a change in municipal status from a village into a city. Residents no longer pay property taxes to adjacent Lima Township and Sylvan Township as they had under the village government. The city provides all services formerly provided by both village and township governments.