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").
Willow Island (also Willow) is an unincorporated community in western Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It lies near Interstate 80 along U.S. Route 30, between the cities of Cozad and Gothenburg. The city of Lexington, the county seat of Dawson County, lies southeast of Willow Island. Its elevation is 2,526 feet (770 m). Because the community had two different names, the Board on Geographic Names ruled in 1902 that the community's official name was "Willow Island. " Although Willow Island is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 69171.