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").
Brigantine is an island city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 12,594. What is now the City of Brigantine has passed through a series of names and incorporations since it was first created. The area was originally incorporated as Brigantine Beach Borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 14, 1890 from portions of Galloway Township, based on the results of a referendum held on June 3, 1890. On April 23, 1897, the area was reincorporated as the City of Brigantine City. This name lasted until April 9, 1914, when it was renamed the City of East Atlantic City. On March 16, 1924, Brigantine was incorporated as a city, replacing East Atlantic City and incorporating further portions of Galloway Township. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Brigantine as its 36th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.