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").
Piedmont is a fourth-class city located in northwestern Wayne County in Southeast Missouri in the United States. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the city's population was 1,992; a 2007 estimate, however, showed the population to be 1,913. A part of the Ozarks Foothills Region, Piedmont is located off State Highway 49 on State Highway 34.