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").
Valley is a city in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,788 at the 2000 census. Valley is the hometown of Gail Rock, who used it as the basis for the small town Clear Rock in her Addie Mills books, of which "The House Without a Christmas Tree" is best known. The Town of Valley recently consolidated its public school system with neighboring town, Waterloo. The merged schools are called Douglas County West Community Schools. Valley is also home to the area's National Weather Service office, serving portions of eastern Nebraska and southwestern Iowa.