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").
East Grand Forks is a city in Polk County, Minnesota in the United States. Its population was estimated at 7,812 in July 2008 making East Grand Forks the largest community in Polk County. It is located in the Red River Valley region along the eastern bank of the Red River of the North, directly across from the larger city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. The twin cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks form the center of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks. The metropolitan area had an estimated population of 97,279 in July 2008.