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").
Stark City is a village in Newton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 156 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was formerly called Chester, but was renamed in the 1930s for the Stark Brother's Nursery, which was a previous prevalent industry to the town and its close neighbor, Newtonia. It is adjacent to the battlefield of the Second Battle of Newtonia.