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").
Hillsdale is a city in the state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,233. It is the county seat of Hillsdale County, and is run as a council-manager government. On November 8, 2005, 18-year-old high school student Michael Sessions, was elected mayor as a write-in candidate, defeating 51-year old incumbent Doug Ingles, and at the time of his election believed to be the youngest mayor in the United States. The city is the home of Hillsdale College, a private liberal arts college noted for its academics and its influence in politics and education. The city is situated mostly within Hillsdale Township, but is a municipality governed independently of the township. Nearby communities include: Allen, Bankers, Cambria, Camden, Frontier, Jerome, Jonesville, Litchfield, Montgomery, Moscow, Mosherville, North Adams, Osseo, Pittsford, Prattville, Ransom, Reading, and Waldron.