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").
Jerome is an unincorporated community in western Phelps County, Missouri. It is located on Gasconade River near Interstate 44 and is about ten miles west of Rolla near the edge of the Mark Twain National Forest. Jerome is protected by the Doolittle rural fire department.