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").
Little Falls is a city in Morrison County, Minnesota, United States, near the geographic center of the state. Established in 1848, Little Falls is one of the oldest cities in Minnesota. It is the county seat of Morrison County. The population was 7,719 at the 2000 census. Little Falls is the location of the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh. Just across from the home is Charles A. Lindbergh State Park, named after Lindbergh's father, prominent Minnesota lawyer and U.S. Congressman Charles August Lindbergh. The town was named after falls that were located on the Mississippi River, which travels through the town. Several attempts to build dams over the falls took place throughout the town's history, some of which powered saw mills in the nineteenth century. Today, the Little Falls Dam serves as a hydroelectric station that generates power for the surrounding area.