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").
Otter Lake is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. Approximately half of the village lies in Marathon Township in Lapeer County and half in Forest Township in Genesee County. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 437.