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").
Strafford is a city in eastern Greene County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,845 at the 2000 census, a small 2% of the population is African American and only .5% is Hispanic. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. Strafford, just East of Springfield hosts a Route 66 Cruise and Route 66 Days each year in celebration of "Route 66".