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").
Novi is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 47,386. In 2007, the city completed a special census which places the current population at 52,231. The city is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) northwest from the center of Detroit. The city is located within the boundaries of the survey township of Novi Township. Presently, the remaining unincorporated township is only a tiny fraction surrounded by the city. Novi is one of the fastest growing cities in Michigan. The construction of Twelve Oaks Mall in the 1970s made the city a major shopping destination in the Detroit metropolitan area and is often credited with ushering in an era of growth that continues to this day (although, in fact, the community had been growing rapidly since the 1950s). This growth has led to substantial increases in the city's population, as well as commercial and industrial developments in the city. Since the city is a shopping destination for the metropolitan area, the community has become increasingly affluent and developed in recent years.