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").
Pinconning is a city in Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Bay City, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is locally noted for production of cheese products, especially Pinconning cheese. M-13 passes directly through Pinconning, and I-75 is only three miles from the heart of the city. Pinconning Area Schools has one high school (Pinconning Area High School), a middle school that shares a building with the high school, and three elementary schools. The school district covers a large portion of northern Bay County, including Pinconning, Linwood, Garfield, Mt. Forest, and Bentley, and part of eastern Gladwin County, including Estey and Rhodes. The Pinconning Spartans high school softball team won state championships in 1989, 1993, and 2000. The volleyball team won a state championship in 1992. The Pinconning Boys Varsity Bowling Team won the State Championship in 2008, with Chad Skinner qualifying second individually while leading Pinconning to a regional title. A weekly newspaper, The Pinconning Journal, is published, and can be mailed around the country.