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").
Mecosta is a village in Mecosta County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 440 at the 2000 census. The village is within Morton Township. Mecosta Township, which is also in Mecosta county, is located several miles to the west.