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").
Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 32,177 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County. Moorhead was platted in 1871 and a permanent name was assigned to the town on October 6, 1871. Moorhead is bordered on the west by the Red River of the North and city of Fargo, North Dakota. On the east, Moorhead is bordered by Dilworth, Minnesota. Together along with West Fargo, North Dakota, the communities comprise the core of the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area, which has an estimated 2008 population of around 195,685 residents.