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").
Vida is an unincorporated community in northern McCone County, Montana, United States. At the 2000 census, the Vida area had a population of approximately 70 people. Vida is located on Montana Highway 13 along the recently designated Big Sky Back Country Byway, approximately 23 miles south of Wolf Point, Montana, and 27 miles north of Circle, Montana.