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").
Dickens is an unincorporated community in southwestern Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It lies along Nebraska Highway 23 southwest of the city of North Platte, the county seat of Lincoln County. Its elevation is 3,136 feet (956 m). The community is named for Charles Dickens. Although Dickens is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 69132.