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").
Alpine is an affluent borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,183. According to Forbes, Alpine ranks first in "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes" for 2009, with a median home price of $4.14 million. Alpine's history of expensive homes also extends back to July 2006 and June 2007, where it ranked #1 in a tie with Fisher Island, Florida on the ABC News list of most expensive zip codes, with a median home sale price of $3.4 million. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Alpine as its 15th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. Alpine was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1903 from portions of Harrington Township. The borough gained a portion of Cresskill in 1904.