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").
Vandalia is a city in Audrain and Ralls Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 2,529 at the 2000 census. Col. Aaron McPike, who founded Vandalia in 1874, called Vandalia "Queen of the Prairie". Vast rolling prairies had underlying coal and refractory types of clay. Brickplants are major employers in Audrain County today. The Audrain County portion of Vandalia is part of the Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the Ralls County portion is part of the Hannibal Micropolitan Statistical Area.