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").
Bowstring is an unincorporated community in the Bowstring Lake unorganized territory in Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. It is located about 10 miles north of Deer River on Minnesota State Highway 6. The town name appears on some state maps and on highway signage. The U.S. Postal Service accepts mail addressed to Bowstring, which is held for pickup at a contract post office located at the Bowstring Store. The town is named after nearby Bowstring Lake. Its population is about 121 people. Buildings include a church, the Bowstring Store, the USDA fire warden's office, a community center, and several houses. It also features a telephone booth, which was an important feature up until the arrival of cellular phone service in the area in the 1980s. The town has served travelers, tourists, and the area's few permanent residents since being settled in the 1920s.