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").
Choteau is a city in and the county seat of Teton County, Montana, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 89 about 20 miles (32 km) east of the Rocky Mountains, near Flathead National Forest, the Rocky Mountain Division of Lewis and Clark National Forest, and Glacier National Park. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census. The Montana town is named for French fur-trapper and explorer Pierre Chouteau, Jr. , who is also the namesake of Chouteau County, Montana.